MARCO  POLO 


TOWLE 


MARCO  STUDYING  THE  CHARTS.     Pagre  27. 


1,1  UK  A  til 

UNIVERSITY  OF 


YOUNG  FOLKS'  HEROES  OF  HISTORY. 


MARCO  POLO 


H  I  S      TR A VE  LS 


ADVENTURES 


GEORGE  MAKEPEACE  TOWLE 

Author  of  "  VASCO  DA  GAMA,"  "  PIZARRO,"  "  MAGELLAN,"  etc. 


BOSTON : 

LOTHROP,    LEE   &   SHEPARD   CO. 


COPYRIGHT,  i8§o> 
Br  LEE  &  SHEPARD. 
Jt*sfn*t. 


PREFACE. 


|HE  reader  is  carried  back,  in  the  present 
volume,  to  a  period  two  centuries  previous  to 
the  discovery  of  the  route  to  India  by  Vasco 
da  Gama,  and  to  the  conquest  of  Peru  by  Pizarro.  A 
young  Venetian  of  the  thirteenth  century,  brought  up 
amid  luxury  and  wealth,  of  a  bold  spirit  and  a  curious 
mind,  went  forth  from  his  home  in  the  beautiful  Queen 
City  of  the  Adriatic,  and  for  many  years  lived  among 
a  far-off  Asiatic  people,  and  at  a  court  of  barbaric  and 
yet  splendid  pomp. 

He  made  many  far  and  dangerous  journeyings  in  the 
wild  distant  lands  and  among  the  fierce  tribes  of  Cathay, 
Thibet,  India,  and  Abyssinia.  His  life  was  passed 
amid  an  almost  incessant  succession  ot  exciting  events, 
of  strange  adventures,  and  of  hair-breadth  escapes. 
He  rose  to  high  distinction  and  power  at  the  Tartar 
court  of  the  mighty  Kublai  Khan,  one  of  the  most 
famous  conquerors  and  potentates  who  ever,  in  either 

iii 


IV  PREFACE. 

ancient  or  modern  times,  have  led  legions  to  devas- 
tating wars,  or  have  ruled  teeming  millions  with  des- 
potic sway. 

Nor  did  his  career  of  valor  and  stirring  action  end 
with  his  return,  middle-aged  and  laden  with  riches,  to 
his  native  Venice.  He  engaged  in  the  bitter  warfare 
between  the  two  rival  republics  of  the  sea,  Venice 
and  Genoa;  became  a  prisoner  of  the  latter  state; 
and  while  in  prison,  dictated  the  wondrous  narrative 
of  his  adventures  which  still  survives,  a  precious  legacy 
left  by  this  great  traveller  to  later  generations. 

I  have  attempted  to  transform  the  somewhat  dry 
and  monotonous  translation  of  this  narrative  into  an 
entertaining  story,  that  may  engage  the  attention  and 
the  interest  of  my  young  readers ;  for  which  it  cer- 
tainly presents  ample  opportunities.  If  the  task  is 
properly  done,  no  one  can  fail  to  follow  Marco  Polo 
from  his  Venetian  home,  across  the  entire  continent 
of  Asia  to  the  court  of  Kublai  Khan,  and  in  his  various 
adventures  and  journeys  while  in  the  far-off  Orient, 
without  eager  curiosity  and  ever-deepening  interest. 
The  central  figure  of  the  story  is  heroic,  for  Marco 
Polo  was  in  all  things  manly,  brave,  persevering,  in- 
telligent, and  chivalrous  ;  and  the  scenes  and  incidents 
in  which  he  was  the  leading  actor  were  in  the  highest 
degree  thrilling  and  dramatic. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

THE  RETURN  OF  THE  WANDERERS.  * 

CHAPTER  II. 
MARCO  POLO'S  YOUTH.         . l8 

CHAPTER  III. 
MARCO  POLO  SETS  FORTH *9 

CHAPTER  IV. 
MARCO  POLO'S  TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.       .       .    45 

CHAPTER  V. 
MARCO  POLO  REACHES  CATHAY. 61 

CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  IMPERIAL  HUNTING  GROUNDS 78 

CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN 93 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS «  *°9 

CHAPTER  IX. 
MARCO  POLO'S  TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY. 124 

CHAPTER  X. 

MARCO  POLO'S  RETURN X39 

V 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XI. 
MARCO  POLO  m  THE  EASTERN  SEAS. 155 

CHAPTER  XII. 
MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  HINDOOS 170 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
MARCO  POLO  IN  AFRICA ^5 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
HOMEWARD  BOUND aoo 

CHAPTER  XV. 
A  STRANGE  WELCOME.         ....         ....  316 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

MARCO  POLO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  232 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

MARCO  POLO  A  PRISONER.  248 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
LAST  DAYS  or  MARCO  POLO. aC 


MARCO   POLO. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  RETURN  OF  THE  WANDERERS. 

lEAUTIFUL  as  Venice  now  is,  in  the 
days  of  its  stagnation  and  decay,  it  was  a 
yet  more  beautiful  city  seven  centuries 
ago.  Then  its  quays  and  Grand  Canal  were 
crowded  with  the  ships  of  every  nation ;  its 
bazaars  and  marts  were  bustling  with  active  trade, 
and  were  picturesque  in  the  mingling  of  the  gay 
and  brilliant  costumes  of  the  East,  with  the  more 
sober  attire  of  the  European  peoples ;  its  noble 
and  lofty  palaces,  not  yet,  as  we  now  see  them, 
hoary  and  dilapidated,  rose  in  fresh  splendor 
from  the  verge  of  its  watery  and  winding  streets ; 
the  dome  of  St.  Mark's  shone  with  new  gilding, 


2  MARCO   POLO. 

and  its  walls  with  recent  frescoing;  the  Piazza. 
was  nightly  crowded  with  throngs  of  gallant  nobles 
and  cavaliers,  long-bearded,  prosperous  merchants, 
and  bevies  of  fair  dames,  whose  black  veils  swept 
from  their  fair  foreheads  to  their  dainty  feet. 
Venice  was  not  only  a  queen  among  commercial 
cities,  but  a  great  warlike  power ;  with  brave  and 
well-disciplined  armies,  hardy  captains,  formid- 
able fleets,  and  proud  strongholds,  where,  on 
either  shore  of  the  sparkling  Adriatic,  she  held 
her  own  valiantly,  against  Turk,  Austrian,  and 
Genoese. 

Mighty  princes  sought  the  hands  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Venice  in  marriage  ;  the  Doges  who  ruled 
over  the  stately  city  were  greeted  by  Emperors 
and  Kings  as  their  brothers  and  equals ;  the  con- 
quests of  Venice  reached  to  Asia  and  to  Africa ; 
her  ships  rode  the  purple  waters  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean in  haughty  defiance  of  the  galleys  of  her 
rivals.  Around  the  patriarchal  Doges  was  gathered 
a  gorgeous  court.  There  were  festal  days  when 
the  Grand  Canal,  bordered  by  palaces  on  either 
side,  was  crowded  thick  with  gilded  and  canopied 
barges,  and  interminable  lines  of  gondolas,  each 
gay  craft  filled  with  richly  attired  cavaliers  and 


THE   RETURN   OF   THE   WANDERERS.  3 

dames,  on  whom  jewels  sparkled,  and  above  whom 
rose  many-colored  banners  that  announced  their 
rank  and  station;  while,  after  night-fall,  the  air 
was  alive  with  the  most  dazzling  fire-works,  which 
fairly  hid  moon,  stars,  and  the  heaven's  canopy 
from  view. 

It  is  in  Venice,  at  this  period  of  her  greatness 
and  glory,  that  our  story  opens. 

A  mellow,  hazy  autumn  day  was  drawing  to 
its  close.  The  sky  was  lit  with  that  soft,  rich, 
yellow  sunset  glow,  which  has  always  been  re- 
marked as  one  of  the  loveliest  sights  to  be  seen 
at  Venice ;  the  last  rays  of  the  sun  glittered 
upon  the  gilded  dome  of  Saint  Mark's;  the 
broad  square  before  the  ancient  cathedral  was 
beginning  to  fill  with  its  evening  multitude  of 
cavaliers  and  coquettes.  In  the  Grand  Canal,  and 
the  glassy  lagoon  beyond,  the  gondoliers  lazily 
plied  their  long  oars,  or  rested  their  gondolas  on 
the  still  waters.  It  was  an  hour  in  which  what- 
ever there  was  of  activity  and  bustle  in  Venice, 
became  indolent  and  tranquil ;  when  men  and 
women  sought  their  ease  under  a  sky  which  com- 
pelled serenity  and  reverie.  In  the  bazaars,  on 
the  Rialto,  and  the  Piazza,  the  stalls  were  laden 


4  MARCO  POLO* 

with  bunches  of  large  and  luscious  grapes,  with 
figs  of  many  colors,  so  ripe  that  the  gummy  juice 
oozed  from  them,  and  with  pomegranates,  upon 
whose  cheeks  glowed  the  rich  red  bloom  which 
betrayed  their  full  ripeness ;  and  there  was  scarcely 
to  be  seen  a  Venetian  of  the  lower  class,  who  was 
not  munching  some  of  the  succulent  fruit  which 
his  climate  produced  in  such  cheap  and  varied 
abundance. 

Not  far  from  the  centre  of  the  beautiful  city, 
on  one  of  the  many  canals  which  serve  it  instead 
of  streets,  stood  a  lofty  mansion,  which,  at  one's 
first  approach,  seemed  two.  Three  stories  in 
height,  it  towered  above  many  of  the  surround- 
ing buildings ;  and  between  its  two  wings  stood 
an  archway,  richly  decorated  with  scrolls  and 
figures  of  animals,  surmounted  by  an  ornate  cross ; 
while,  above  the  archway,  rose  a  tall  square  tower. 
Entering  the  archway,  you  would  have  found 
yourself  in  a  spacious,  paved  court-yard,  which  the 
house,  quadrangular  in  shape,  completely  en- 
closed. The  inner  walls  were  adorned,  like  the 
archway,  with  sculptured  devices,  among  which 
you  might  have  observed  a  coat-of-arms,  compris- 
ing a  shield,  with  a  wide  bar  running  across  it, 


THE   RETURN   OF   THE   WANDERERS.  5 

upon  which  were  graven  three  birds.  The  whole 
mansion  was  stately  and  imposing,  and  betokened 
that  its  possessors  were  at  once  rich  and  of  high 
rank. 

On  the  late  afternoon  which  has  been  described, 
an  unusual  bustle  was  going  on  in  and  near  this 
house.  It  was  full  of  gayly-dressed  people,  old 
and  young,  all  of  whom  were  evidently  in  a  state 
of  excitement.  Servants  hurried  to  and  fro  in 
the  corridors  ;  in  the  pretty  balconies  which  were 
built  at  the  windows  facing  the  canal  of  San 
Giovanni  Crisostomo,  were  gathered  groups  of 
cavaliers  and  ladies,  who  were  leaning  over  and 
peering  eagerly  out  to  the  end  of  the  watery 
thoroughfare,  as  if  they  were  anxiously  expecting 
an  arrival. 

In  the  main  hall  of  the  mansion,  a  vast  apart- 
ment, approached  from  the  court-yard  by  a  broad 
flight  of  stone  steps,  and  entered  by  a  high  and 
richly-sculptured  portal — stood  a  knot  of  persons 
who  seemed  even  more  excited  than  the  rest. 
One  was  a  tall  and  dignified  man,  clad  in  a  long 
blue  cloak,  his  head  covered  by  a  slashed  blue  and 
white  cap,  from  which  rose  an  ostrich  feather. 
He  wore  a  long,  brown  beard,  just  streaked  with 


6  MARCO   POLO. 

gray;  his  dark  face  was  flushed,  and  every  ma 
ment  he  approached  the  door,  and  questioned  the 
servants  posted  in  the  court-yard.  On  either  side 
of  him  stood  two  youths,  one  fifteen  and  the 
other  thirteen,  both  very  richly  attired,  and  both 
the  very  pictures  of  boyish  freshness  and  beauty. 
The  elder  was  tall  for  his  age,  and  his  form 
was  straight,  graceful,  and  well-knit.  A  pair  of 
bright  gray  eyes,  a  nose  rather  longer  than  me- 
dium, full  red  lips,  and  a  handsome  round  chin, 
comprised  his  features ,  the  expression  of  his  face 
was  at  once  energetic  and  pleasing ;  his  move- 
ments were  quick  and  nervous ;  and  every  now 
and  then  he  turned  to  the  cavalier  beside  him, 
and  talked  rapidly  in  a  strong,  musical  voice.  The 
younger  boy,  while  he  closely  resembled  his 
brother,  was  of  more  gentle  mould  and  manners. 
The  one  seemed  made  to  be  a  warrior,  to  play  an 
active,  perhaps  a  heroic  part,  in  the  struggling 
world.  The  other  appeared  born  to  be  a  courtier, 
to  shine  in  the  society  of  elegant  women,  to  be 
rather  a  favorite  of  the  polite  world,  than  a  man 
of  deeds.  While  the  younger  clung  to  the  cava- 
lier's arm  with  sort  of  air  of  dependence,  the  elder 
bore  himself  erect,  as  if  quite  able  to  take  care 
of  himself. 


THE  RETURN   OF   THE  WANDERERS.  J 

All  at  once  loud  and  joyous  cries  were  heard 
from  the  balconies  in  front  of  the  house;  and 
presently  down  rushed  their  occupants  into  the 
hall,  whither  all  the  others  who  were  in  the  house 
flocked  in  a  twinkling. 

"  They  are  coming!  They  are  coming!"  were 
the  words  that  went  eagerly  around.  The  two 
lads  were  seized  and  embraced  by  the  ladies  ;  the 
elder's  eyes  kindled  with  delight  as  he  hurried  to 
the  door;  his  brother  danced  up  and  down,  and 
clapped  his  hands,  while  tears  of  happiness  flowed 
over  his  rosy  cheeks. 

In  the  court-yard  there  was  the  greatest  noise 
and  confusion.  The  retainers  of  the  household 
gathered  in  two  rows  at  the  archway,  while  the 
steward,  a  portly  personage,  in  a  tunic,  with  a 
heavy  chain  around  his  neck,  and  a  long  staff  in 
his  hand,  passed  out  upon  the  landing  to  welcome 
the  new-comers. 

He  was  soon  seen  returning,  walking  backwards, 
and  bowing,  as  he  came,  almost  to  the  ground. 
In  another  moment,  the  travellers  who  had  been 
so  anxiously  awaited,  slowly  walked  through  the 
archway,  and  greeted  the  excited  group  before 
them. 


8  MARCO  POLO. 

A  strange  appearance,  indeed,  did  the  two  tall, 
bronzed  men  present  to  those  who  were  gazing 
at  them.  Instead  of  the  rich  and  elegant  Vene- 
tian costume  of  the  day,  their  forms  were  covered 
with  what  seemed  rough  and  barbarous  garments. 
From  their  shoulders  to  their  feet  they  were  ar« 
rayed  in  long,  loose  gowns,  or  great-coats,  one  of 
them  made  of  shaggy  fur ;  while  on  their  heads 
were  fur  caps.  Their  feet  were  incased  in  rude- 
shoes,  which  turned  up  at  the  toes ;  while  at  their 
sides,  instead  of  the  long,  slender  Venetian  sword, 
hung  broad,  heavy,  curved  scimitars.  In  their 
hands  they  carried  stout  sticks ;  slung  across  their 
shoulders  were  long,  furry  bags.  Not  less  strange 
were  their  faces.  Both  wore  long,  shaggy,  grizzled 
hair,  which  fell  in  thick  masses  to  their  shoulders ; 
the  beards  of  both  were  long  and  tangled,  and 
covered  their  cheeks  almost  to  their  eyes ;  their 
skin  was  rough  and  brown,  and  here  and  there  a 
seamed  scar  betokened  that  they  had  met  with 
fierce  and  savage  enemies. 

No  sooner  had  they  appeared  than  the  elder  of 
the  two  boys  pushed  his  way  through  the  crowd, 
which  parted  to  let  him  pass,  and  rushed  up  to 
the  new-comers  as  if  to  throw  himself  into  the 


RETURN  OF  THE  WANDERERS.     Page  8. 


THE   RETURN   OF   THE   WANDERERS.  9 

arms  of  one  of  them.  But  when  he  came  close  to 
them,  he  suddenly  stopped  short.  In  place  of 
the  light  of  joy,  a  puzzled  and  pained  expression 
came  across  his  handsome  face.  He  looked,  first 
at  one  and  then  at  the  other ;  peered  into  their 
countenances,  and  seemed  quite  at  a  loss  which 
to  embrace  first.  His  trouble,  however,  was 
soon  relieved.  The  stouter,  and  evidently  the 
elder  of  the  travellers,  advanced  and  folded  him 
in  his  arms. 

"Surely,"  said  he,  in  a  hoarse,  low  voice,  "this 
is  my  beloved  Marco !  No  wonder  you  did  not 
know  me,  child  ;  for  when  I  went  away,  you  were 
but  an  infant,  six  years  old.  And  how  has  it 
been  with  you?  Thank  heaven,  I  find  you  well 
and  strong.  But  where — where  is  Maffeo?" 

The  traveller  looked  eagerly  around ;  and 
then  the  younger  boy  resolved  his  anxiety  by 
leaping  into  his  arms. 

The  two  boys  were  clasped  close  at  last  to 
their  father's  breast.  He  kissed  them  on  both 
cheeks,  and  patted  their  heads,  and  lifted  their 
chins  with  his  finger,  the  better  to  scan  their 
faces.  Then  the  tears  coursed  down  his  bronzed 
face ;  and  raising  his  hands  aloft,  he  made  a  silent 


IO  MARCO  POLO. 

prayer  of  thanksgiving,  that  he  had  returned  home 
from  far-distant  lands,  and  an  absence  of  many 
years,  to  find  his  darling  sons  alive  and  well. 

Meanwhile  the  other  traveller  found  a  welcome 
not  less  loving.  A  comely  dame  had  thrown  her 
arms  around  his  neck,  and  was  holding  him  tight, 
overjoyed  to  find  her  husband  by  her  side  once 
more;  and  two  fair  young  girls,  his  daughters, 
were  disputing  with  their  mother  his  caresses. 
Then  it  came  the  turn  of  the  other  relatives  and 
old  friends  of  the  wanderers  to  greet  them  and 
overwhelm  them  with  endearments ;  and,  before 
these  greetings  were  over,  night  had  fallen,  and 
the  court-yard  was  lit  up  by  the  torches  which  the 
servants  had  fetched  and  lighted. 

The  scene  then  changed  to  the  great  hall, 
which,  while  the  merry-making  had  been  going 
on  in  the  court-yard,  had  been  quickly  trans- 
formed into  a  banqueting-room.  Two  long  rows 
of  tables,  decked  out  with  a  profusion  of  flowers, 
and  profusely  laden  with  a  bounteous,  smoking- 
hot  supper,  were  ranged  throughout  its  length ; 
while  the  apartment  was  lit  up  by  hundreds  of 
wax  candles,  which  gleamed  from  gilded  candel- 
abra fixed  along  the  walls.  The  servants,  clad  in 


THE  RETURN   OF  THE  WANDERERS.  II 

the  livery  of  the  house,  stood  beside  the  tables, 
ready  to  serve  the  many  guests ;  who  poured  in 
and  took  their  places,  and  waited  till  the  two 
travellers  re-appeared. 

The  latter  had  gone  up  to  their  chambers,  to 
enjoy  a  moment  with  their  families  in  private,  and 
to  exchange  their  outlandish  garments  for  their 
native  costume.  They  ere  long  descended,  clad 
in  splendid  suits  of  velvet,  and  took  their  places 
at  the  heads  of  the  two  tables,  their  children  on 
either  side  of  them.  Very  late  that  night,  it  may 
well  be  believed,  was  the  revel  of  welcome  kept 
up.  The  travellers,  at  last  finding  themselves 
cozily  at  home,  with  all  who  were  dear  around 
them,  their  appetites  sated  with  delicious  dishes 
and  warming  wines,  their  bodies  rested  from  the 
long  journey,  grew  very  merry  and  talkative,  and 
launched  out  into  long  stories  of  their  adventures. 

For  nine  long  years  they  had  been  absent  from 
Venice,  and  only  once  or  twice  had  they  either 
heard  news  from  home,  or  been  able  to  send  tid- 
ings of  themselves  to  their  families  and  friends. 
The  elder,  Nicolo,  had  left  his  two  boys  scarcely 
more  than  infants,  in  the  care  of  their  aunt  and 
of  their  uncle  Marco,  the  cavalier  who  has  be«n 


12  MARCO   POLO. 

described  as  awaiting,  in  the  great  hall,  the 
travellers'  return. 

The  two  brothers  had  set  out,  at  first,  with  the 
intention  of  making  a  trading  journey  to  Con- 
stantinople, and  then  to  the  countries  bordering 
on  the  Black  Sea ;  for  they  were  not  only  Vene- 
tian nobles,  but  merchants  as  well.  It  was  no 
uncommon  thing  in  those  days  for  Venetian 
noblemen  to  engage  in  commerce;  and  in  this 
way  the  nobility  of  that  city  long  maintained 
themselves  in  wealth  and  power,  when  the  nobles 
of  other  Italian  cities  fell  into  poverty  and  decay. 

Nicolo  had  taken  his  wife  with  him  to  Constan- 
tinople ;  and  soon  after  their  arrival  there,  she  had 
died.  The  two  little  boys  who  had  been  left  at 
home,  thus  became  motherless.  At  first  Nicolo 
was  overcome  with  grief.  He  lost  all  desire,  for 
the  time,  to  return  home ;  and  now  resolved  to 
extend  his  travels  further  East  than  he  had  ori- 
ginally planned.  After  remaining  awhile  at  Con- 
stantinople, the  brothers  crossed  the  Black  Sea 
and  tarried  sometime  in  the  Crimea,  the  promon- 
tory which  was,  centuries  after,  to  become  a  fam- 
ous battle  ground  between  the  Russians  on  one 
side,  and  the  English,  French,  and  Turks  on  the 


THE  RETURN   OF   THE  WANDERERS.  13 

other.  While  in  the  Crimea,  they  succeeded  in 
making  some  profitable  trading  ventures;  and 
they  learned,  moreover,  that  further  East  there 
were  countries  rich  in  goods  and  treasures, 
though  warlike  in  temper  and  barbarous  in  cus- 
toms. Nicolo  finally  persuaded  his  brother  Maffeo 
to  venture  further,  and  to  join  him  in  penetrat- 
ing the  remote  countries  of  which  they  heard  so 
much. 

They  first  ascended  the  great  river  Volga, 
which  flows  for  so  long  a  distance  through  the 
vast  territory  now  comprised  in  the  Russian  Em- 
pire, and  entered  what  is  now  called,  on  the 
maps,  Central  Asia.  They  stopped  at  Bokhara, 
then  the  seat  of  a  rude  and  warlike  court,  but 
where  they  were  well  treated  ;  then  sped  on  their 
way  still  further  east,  and  continued  their  jour- 
ney, pausing  at  the  various  Asiatic  capitals,  cross- 
ing now  vast  deserts,  now  bleak  and  lofty  steppes, 
now  lovely  and  luxuriant  valleys,  now  dense  and 
seemingly  interminable  forests,  until  they  found 
themselves  among  the  curious,  squint-eyed,  pig- 
tailed,  small-footed,  ingenious  race  whom  we  now 
call  the  Chinese. 

Of  course  their  journey  was   far   from   rapid. 


14  MARCO  POLO. 

They  proceeded  for  the  most  part  on  horse-back, 
although  sometimes  they  perched  themselves  on 
the  humps  of  camels,  or  rode  aloft  on  the  broad 
backs  of  elephants.  It  took  not  only  months,  but 
years,  to  reach  the  limit  of  their  journey.  They 
were  often  delayed  by  savage  Asiatic  wars,  which 
made  further  progress  dangerous.  Sometimes 
they  were  forcibly  detained  in  the  rude  towns  by 
the  ruling  khans,  who  insisted  on  being  enter- 
tained with  accounts  of  European  marvels.  Now 
and  then  they  were  in  terrible  peril  of  their  lives 
from  the  attacks  of  barbarian  brigands,  who  as- 
sailed them  in  lonely  solitudes.  Meanwhile,  they 
were  able  to  observe  the  great  riches  which  many 
of  the  Asiatic  potentates  displayed  ;  the  beautiful 
fabrics  which  Asiatic  skill  and  taste  and  love  of 
gorgeous  colors  could  produce  ;  the  astonishing 
variety  and  luxuriance  of  the  Oriental  vegetation, 
and  the  many  strange  animals,  birds  and  reptiles 
which  peopled  the  forests,  and  had  their  lairs  and 
nests  in  the  deep,  rank,  overgrown  jungles. 

Europeans  had  long  suspected  the  existence,  in 
a  remote  part  of  Asia,  of  a  powerful  and  splendid 
empire,  which  they  had  come  to  speak  of  as 
Cathay.  Indeed,  accounts  kept  coming  from  time 


THE   RETURN   OF   THE   WANDERERS.  15 

to  time  of  the  exploits  of  the  sovereign  of  Cathay, 
and  no  less  of  the  wisdom  and  energy  of  his  rule. 
It  was  towards  this  mysterious  land  that  the 
brothers  now  wended  their  way;  resolved  to  dis- 
cover, if  possible,  whether  such  a  land  really  ex- 
isted, and  to  see  for  themselves  the  mighty  mon- 
arch who  reigned  over  it. 

After  long  years  of  wandering,  they  at  last 
reached  Cathay,  which  they  found  to  really  and 
truly  exist ;  nor,  as  they  saw,  had  any  of  the  ac- 
counts of  it  which  had  come  to  their  ears  in  Venice, 
at  all  exaggerated  its  extent,  wealth,  and  power. 
The  monarch,  they  saw,  was  indeed  a  great  and 
wise  ruler,  a  man  of  far  higher  intelligence  than 
the  Asiatic  princes  they  had  before  met,  and 
a  host  who  welcomed  them  with  gracious 
hospitality,  and  made  them  quite  at  home  at  his 
court. 

His  name  was  Kublai  Khan,  and  his  sway  ex- 
tended over  a  large  portion  of  Eastern  China.  He 
was  delighted  with  his  Venetian  guests,  and  plied 
them  with  questions  about  the  continent  from 
whence  they  came.  They  found,  too,  that  he 
was  deeply  interested  in  Christianity,  about  which 
he  eagerly  and  constantly  asked  them  ;  declaring 


l6  MARCO  POLO. 

that  he  himself  would  introduce  Christianity  into 
Cathay. 

After  the  brothers  had  spent  a  long  period  at 
the  court  of  Kublai  Khan,  they  began  to  feel 
homesick,  and  to  wish  to  bear  back  to  Venice  the 
story  of  the  wonderful  things  they  had  seen  and 
heard.  At  first,  Kublai  Khan  was  very  loth  to 
part  with  them.  He  was  very  fond  of  their  society 
and  conversation,  and  he  had  learned  a  great  many 
things  from  them,  useful  to  his  government. 
Seeing,  however,  that  they  were  bent  on  return- 
ing home,  he  finally  consented  to  take  leave  of 
them;  but  before  he  did  so,  he  made  them 
solemnly  promise  that  they  would  come  back  to 
Cathay  again.  This  they  did,  although  at  that 
time  they  were  very  doubtful  whether  they  would 
fulfil  their  pledge. 

The  khan  then  gave  them  an  important  mis- 
sion to  the  pope  of  Rome.  He  desired  very  much, 
he  said,  that  the  pope  should  send  a  large  number 
of  educated  missionaries  to  Cathay,  to  convert  his 
people  to  Christianity,  and  to  civilize  and  polish 
his  semi-barbarous  subjects,  so  that  they  might 
become  like  Europeans. 

The  brothers  were  only  too  glad  to  bear  this 


THE   RETURN  OF   THE  WANDERERS.  I/ 

message  to  the  pope ;  for  they  were  both  good 
Christians,  and  they  knew  with  what  pleasure  the 
head  of  the  Church  would  receive  the  news  that 
the  monarch  of  Cathay  was  not  only  willing,  but 
eager,  that  his  people  should  embrace  the  Chris- 
tian faith. 

Their  journey  back  home  was  unattended  by 
any  serious  accident,  though  it  was  a  long,  weary, 
and  dangerous  one.  At  last,  in  the  spring  of  1269, 
their  eyes  were  rejoiced  to  greet  the  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean  at  Acre,  where  they  remained 
several  months,  and  from  whence  they  sailed,  in 
a  Venetian  galley,  directly  to  their  native  city. 
They  soon  safely  reached  the  familiar  bay,  and 
were  welcomed  with  open  arms,  as  we  have  seen, 
by  their  long-waiting  relatives  and  friends. 


1 8  MARCO   POLO. 


CHAPTER  II. 

MARCO   POLO'S  YOUTH. 


POLO—  for  the  reader  has  already 
guessed  that  the  elder  of  the  two  boys 
who  had  welcomed  their  father  home 
was  Marco  Polo  —  was  born  amid  surroundings  of 
wealth  and  luxury.  His  family  was  a  noble  one, 
and  held  high  rank  in  Venice.  His  father,  Nicolo, 
before  he  made  his  memorable  journey  to  the 
court  of  Kublai  Khan,  had  both  inherited  and 
amassed  riches.  Marco  suffered  in  early  life  none 
of  those  privations  which  have  hardened  so  many 
great  travellers  and  discoverers,  and  have  accus- 
tomed them  to  lives  of  peril  and  rough  adven- 
ture. From  his  most  tender  years,  he  had  not 
known  what  it  was  to  wish  for  anything  beyond 
his  reach.  Fine  clothes,  plenty  of  playmates, 
petting,  fond  parents,  all  the  pleasures  enjoyed 
by  the  children  of  his  time,  were  his. 


MARCO  POLO'S  YOUTH.  19 

Instead  of  going  to  school,  he  was  taught  at 
home  by  tutors  and  governesses  ;  and  happily 
his  own  tastes  led  him  to  find  study  interesting, 
so  that  he  became  a  better  scholar  than  most 
boys  of  his  age.  He  especially  loved  history  and 
narratives  of  adventure  and  discovery,  and  it  was 
often  difficult  to  persuade  him  to  leave  his  books 
and  go  to  bed.  He  was  fond,  too,  of  geography, 
and  was  wont  to  puzzle  for  hours  over  such  rude 
maps  and  charts  as  he  could  lay  his  hands  on ; 
though  at  that  period,  the  maps  and  charts  in  ex- 
istence were  but  few,  and  represented  but  here 
and  there  patches  of  the  world. 

The  Polo  family  lived  all  together  in  the  great 
mansion  that  has  been  described.  Marco's  uncle, 
whose  name  also  was  Marco,  was  the  eldest 
brother,  and  when  Nicolo  and  Maffeo  went  on 
their  travels,  remained  in  Venice  to  retain  charge 
of  the  important  trading-house  which  they  car- 
ried on  in  common.  This  elder  Marco  was  a 
kindly,  though  rather  proud  and  stately  man  ; 
and  while  he  treated  his  little  nephews,  deprived 
as  they  were  both  of  father  and  mother,  with 
gentleness,  he  kept  a  close  watch  upon  their  hab- 
its and  conduct.  As  the  phrase  is,  he  "  brought 


2O  MARCO  POLO. 

them  up  well ;"  and  once  in  a  great  while,  when 
young  Marco's  high  spirits  betrayed  him  into  wild 
pranks,  his  uncle  would  shut  him  up  in  one  of  the 
remote  rooms  of  the  house.  On  this  occasion  the 
little  fellow  would  beg,  as  a  special  favor,  that 
one  of  his  books  might  keep  him  company,  and 
when  his  uncle  refused  this,  the  punishment  he 
inflicted  was  indeed  a  severe  one. 

Besides  their  uncle,  Marco  and  young  Maffeo 
were  left  in  the  care  of  their  aunt,  the  wife  of 
that  uncle  who  had  gone  away  with  their  father ; 
and  their  daily  companions  were  their  two  cousins, 
the  daughters  of  this  aunt,  not  far  from  their  own 
age.  But  their  aunt  was  a  fine  lady  of  the  doge's 
court,  and  was  always  going  to  balls,  the  theatre, 
or  galas  in  the  lagoon  ;  and  so  they  saw  but  little 
of  her.  Marco  and  his  brother  spent  many  happy 
hours  in  their  gondolas,  which  they  themselves 
learned  to  manage  with  skill ;  and  once  in  a  while 
as  they  grew  older,  their  uncle  took  them  with 
him  on  hunting  expeditions  on  the  main  land. 

At  this  period,  ferocious  wars  were  continually 
going  on  between  Venice  and  its  great  maritime 
rival,  the  republic  of  Genoa.  Both  struggled  for 
the  supremacy  of  Mediterranean  commerce,  and 


MARCO  POLO  S   YOUTH-  2l 

sought  to  gain  as  many  military  stations  and 
fortresses  as  possible  on  the  islands  and  seaboards 
of  the  Levant.  In  these  wars,  Venice  up  to  this 
time  had  been  generally  successful;  the  time  was, 
indeed,  drawing  near  when  the  Genoese  would  be- 
come the  conquerors ;  but  it  had  not  yet  come. 

It  was  one  of  Marco's  chief  delights  to  watch 
the  brilliant  arrays  of  troops  as  they  were  re- 
viewed by  the  doge  in  the  Piazza  before  leaving 
for  the  seat  of  conflict :  and  to  haunt  the  quays 
and  watch  the  preparations  for  departure  of  the 
quaint  war-galleys  of  the  age.  He  caught  the 
martial  spirit  which  was  then  in  the  air,  and  often 
longed  to  be  old  enough  to  go  to  the  wars  and  fight 
under  the  proud  flag  of  Venice ;  and  thus  came 
to  have  adventurous  and  military  tastes.  He 
was  not  destined  to  indulge  these  tastes  for  many 
years  to  come  ;  but  the  time  was,  long  after,  to 
arrive,  when  he  would  engage  in  furious  battle 
with  his  country's  foes,  and  have  a  romantic 
and  thrilling  experience  in  the  fortunes  of  war. 

At  the  period  of  his  father's  return  from  Cathay. 
Marco,  as  has  been  said,  was  fifteen  years  of  age, 
a  bright,  promising  boy,  intelligent  beyond  his 
age,  and  a  great  favorite  with  all  who  knew  him. 


22  MARCO  POLO. 

It  may  well  be  believed  that  he  was  delighted  tc 
*ee  his  father  once  more,  after  the  lapse  of  so 
many  years ;  and  to  hear  from  his  lips  the  tale 
of  his  many  and  marvellous  adventures  in  the 
East.  Nicolo,  on  his  side,  was  rejoiced  to  find 
his  elder  son  grown  up  to  be  so  vigorous  and  at- 
tractive a  youth,  and  was  extremely  proud  of 
him.  He  freely  indulged  Marco's  desire  to  hear 
him  recount  his  adventures  ;  and  used  to  sit  talk- 
ing  with  him  for  hours  together.  He  soon  per- 
ceived that  Marco  had  a  keen  taste  for  a  life  of 
stirring  adventure,  and  was  far  from  displeased  to 
make  the  discovery. 

One  day,  when  Nicolo  had  been  at  home  for 
several  months,  he  was  chatting  with  Marco,  and 
happened  to  say  that  he  had  given  his  promise  to 
Kublai  Khan  to  return  to  Cathay. 

"  And  you  will  go,  sir,  will  you  not  ?"  eagerly 
asked  Marco.  "  You  will  keep  your  promise  to 
the  great  king?" 

"  In  truth,  I  know  not,"  was  the  father's  reply. 
"There  are  many  things  to  keep  me  at  home. 
These  wars  interfere  much  with  our  trade,  and  it 
needs  all  three  of  us  brothers  to  be  here  to  look 
after  it.  The  journey  to  Cathay,  too,  is  not  only 


MARCO  POLO'S  YOUTH.  2J 

long  and  dreary,  but  dangerous.  The  man  who  goes 
thither,  holds  his  life,  every  hour,  in  his  hand. 
At  any  moment,  a  hidden  enemy  may  despatch 
him  before  he  can  lift  a  weapon ;  or,  he  may  be 
lost  on  the  great  deserts,  and  die  of  sheer  thirst 
and  starvation.  Then,  my  son,  how  can  I  leave 
you  and  your  brother  again,  for  so  long  a  time? 
It  would  be  too  hard  to  part  from  you ;  to  be 
far  away,  and  not  able  to  watch  you,  as  month 
by  month  you  grow  towards  manhood.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  are  vast  riches  to  be  had  in 
Cathay ;  and  noble  service  to  be  done  for  our 
Holy  Church,  by  once  more  venturing  thither." 
"  But,  father,"  replied  Marco,  grasping  Nicolo's 
arm,  "  you  need  not  leave  me  behind.  I  beg  you 
to  go,  and  to  let  me  go  with  you  !  Surely  I  am 
old  enough  and  big  enough  now  to  go  anywhere. 
Think,  sir,  I  shall  be  soon  sixteen :  why,  that  is 
almost  a  man.  Look,  I  am  almost  as  tall  as  you 
are  now.  I  can  handle  a  sword,  javelin,  and 
cross-bow  as  well  as  any  boy  of  my  age ;  I  am 
strong  and  well,  and  can  walk  and  ride  with  the 
stoutest.  My  uncle  Maffeo  said,  the  other  day, 
I  would  make  a  fine  soldier,  young  as  I  am.  Pray, 
sir,  let  me  go  with  you  to  Cathay  1" 


24  MARCO   POLO. 

Nicolo  smiled,  and  patted  the  eager  boy's 
flushed  cheek ;  but  gently  shook  his  head. 

"You  ask,  dear  Marco,"  said  he,  "what  cannot 
be.  What !  Do  you  suppose  I  would  risk  your 
young  life  amid  those  fierce  Tartar  tribes,  those 
frightful  jungles,  those  dreary,  trackless  wastes  ? 
And  even  if  you  reached  Cathay  in  safety,  do  you 
think  I  would  trust  you  with  that  Eastern  despot, 
Kublai  Khan,  who  might  take  it  into  his  wilful 
head  to  separate  you  from  me,  and  keep  you  for- 
ever?  No,  no,  Marco,  I  should  not  dare  take  you, 
even  if  I  went." 

Marco  hung  his  head  in  deep  disappointment. 
He  had  long  had  it  in  his  "heart  to  implore  his 
father  to  let  him  return  with  him  to  Cathay ;  and 
now  Nicolo's  words  chilled  and  grieved  him. 
But  he  was  not  easily  discouraged.  In  spite  of 
his  father's  refusal,  he  resolved  to  leave  no  per- 
suasion untried.  Again  and  again  he  returned  to 
the  subject  that  absorbed  his  mind ;  but  all  his 
pleading  might  have  been  in  vain,  had  it  not  been 
that  a  powerful  ally  took  up  his  cause.  This 
was  his  uncle  Maffeo :  who,  besides  admiring 
Marco  greatly,  said  that  the  companionship  of  a 
brave  and  vigorous  youth  would  be  of  great  value 


MARCO  POLOS   YOUTH.  2$ 

to  his  brother  and  himself,  in  case  they  again 
crossed  Asia,  and  that  Marco  might  win  the 
special  frienship  of  Kublai  Khan  by  his  youth, 
lively  spirits,  and  agreeable  bearing. 

In  due  time,  the  two  brothers  definitely  made 
up  their  minds  to  fulfil  their  promise  to  the 
oriental  monarch  ;  and  after  many  long  and  earnest 
talks,  Nicolo  filled  his  son's  heart  with  joy 
by  telling  him  that  he  might  go  with  them. 

Much  remained  to  be  done,  however,  before 
they  set  out.  On  arriving  at  Acre,  returning  from 
their  first  journey,  the  brothers  Polo  had  borne  in 
mind  the  message  of  Kublai  Khan  to  the  pope  ; 
and  the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  visit  a  famous 
Church  dignitary  who  was  staying  there,  named 
Tedaldo,  archdeacon  of  Li£ge  This  eminent  man 
had  no  sooner  heard  their  errand,  than  he  aston- 
ished them  very  much  by  telling  them  that,  just 
now,  there  was  no  pope  at  all,  and  that  conse- 
quently, they  could  not  deliver  their  message  ! 
Not  long  before  their  arrival,  Pope  Clement  IV. 
had  died  ;  and  the  cardinals  had  not  yet  been  able 
to  agree  upon  a  successor.  This  vacancy  in 
the  papal  chair  was  not,  indeed,  yet  filled.  The 
Polos,  after  having  resolved  to  go  again  to  Cathay, 


20  MARCO   POLO. 

delayed  their  departure  until  a  new  pope  should 
be  chosen,  so  that  he  might  send  some  mis- 
sionaries with  them,  as  Kublai  Khan  desired. 

But  they  grew  tired  of  waiting  ;  for,  after  two 
years,  the  great  council  of  the  Church  seemed  no 
nearer  electing  a  pope  than  at  first ;  and  the 
Polos  made  up  their  minds  that  they  must  return 
to  Cathay,  if  at  all,  without  the  missionaries. 
Then  the  naval  wars  going  on  between  Venice  and 
Genoa  made  it  for  a  while  unsafe  for  Venetians  to 
cross  the  Mediterranean  to  Syria,  and  this  com- 
pelled another  postponement  of  their  plans.  At 
last,  however,  a  favorable  opportunity  occurred  to 
traverse  the  sea  to  Acre,  which  as  before  was  to 
be  the  starting-point  of  the  travellers.  A  war- 
galley  destined  for  that  Asiatic  town,  then  in  the 
possession  of  Venice,  was  about  to  set  forth;  and 
by  Nicole's  great  influence  at  court,  where  he  had 
been  heartily  welcomed  back  by  the  reigning 
doge,  a  passage  was  secured  in  her  for  all  three. 

Marco  had  scarcely  slept  since  permission  to  go 
had  been  wrung  from  his  reluctant  father.  He 
devoted  himself  ardently  to  the  practise  of  the 
sword  and  the  cross-bow ;  he  was  measured  for 
two  suits  of  clothes,  fit  for  rough  travelling  ;  again 


MARCO  POLOS  YOUTH.  2J 

and  again  he  went  over  the  proposed  route,  on 
such  charts  relating  to  it  as  his  father  had  brought 
with  him  ;  and  he  constantly  talked  about  the 
wonderful  things  he  was  about  to  see,  and  the 
many  adventures  he  would  undoubtedly  meet 
with.  Happily  his  younger  brother,  Maffeo,  whose 
tastes  were  gentle  and  domestic,  did  not  share  his 
eagerness  for  a  wandering  life ;  and,  well  content 
to  stay  at  home,  was  only  distressed  at  the  thought 
of  the  long  absence  of  his  father  and  of  the 
brother  who  had  been  his  constant  companion. 

On  the  eve  of  the  day  appointed  for  the  depart- 
ure of  the  travellers,  the  great  house  on  the 
canal  of  San  Giovanni  Crisostomo  was  once  more 
crowded  with  a  numerous  and  brilliantly  attired 
assemblage.  Nicolo  had  resolved  to  give  a  boun- 
teous parting  feast  to  his  family  and  friends  ;  and 
the  doge  himself  had  consented  to  honor  the 
feast  with  his  presence.  There  was  no  family 
more  honored  and  respected  in  Venice  than  the 
Polos  ;  and  the  doge  regarded  Nicolo  as  one  of 
the  bravest  and  most  estimable  of  his  subjects. 

The  appearance  of  the  guests  was  very  differ- 
ent from  that  on  the  former  occasion.  The  joy- 
ful welcome  was  replaced  by  the  sad  leave-taking. 


28  MARCO  POLO. 

Little  Maffeo's  face  was  suffused  with  tears, 
which  he  in  vain  tried  to  repress  ;  and  the  elder 
Marco  looked  grave  and  downcast.  As  for  young 
Marco,  his  anticipations  of  the  journey  so  excited 
him  that  he  could  scarcely  think  of  grief,  even  at 
leaving  his  home  and  parting  from  his  brother 
and  kind  kindred.  His  fair  face  was  flushed  with 
eager  expectation  :  and  he  felt  very  proud  of  the 
bran-new  sword  which  swung,  for  the  first  time, 
at  his  side.  He  felt  himself  already  a  man  and  a 
soldier,  and  never  once  thought  of  shrinking  from 
the  dangers  of  the  tour.  To  him  it  was  more 
like  a  holiday  journey  than  a  dangerous  venture; 
and  it  seemed  as  if  the  morrow  would  never  come. 

At  last  the  guests  tearfully  embraced  the 
brothers  and  Marco,  and  one  by  one  departed. 
The  candles  in  the  glittering  candelabra  were  put 
out,  and  the  house  was  left  in  darkness. 

The  sun  had  scarcely  risen  when  Marco  leaped 
from  his  bed,  donned  the  suit  which  had  been 
prepared  for  his  setting  out,  and  buckled  on  his 
sword ;  and  while  almost  all  the  people  of  Venice 
were  still  wrapped  in  slumber,  the  travellers 
wended  their  way  to  the  war-galley  on  the  quay, 
and  went  on  board. 


MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MARCO   POLO  SETS  FORTH. 

|S  Marco  Polo  stood,  on  that  bright  April 
morning  in  1271,  on  the  deck  of  the  war- 
galley,  and  watched  the  glittering  domes 
and  spires  of  Venice  receding  from  view,  while  the 
vessel  sailed  down  the  Adriatic,  he  little  guessed 
how  many  years  would  elapse  ere  his  eyes  would 
greet  the  familiar  home  scenes  again. 

But  he  thought  only  of  the  future  just  before 
him ;  and  although,  on  passing  out  of  the  Gulf  of 
Venice  into  the  rougher  waters  of  the  Adriatic,  he 
was  at  first  a  little  sea-sick,  he  soon  recovered  his 
bouyancy  of  spirits,  and  now  gazed  with  keen  in- 
terest at  the  objects  which  coast  and  waters 
presented. 

It  was  a  delightful  trip,  through  the  Adriatic, 
across  the  sparkling  purple  waves  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, skirting  the  rugged  coast  of  Greece,  and 


3O  MARCO   POLO. 

at  last  launching  into  the  more  open  ocean,  out  of 
sight  of  land ;  and  the  days  that  elapsed  between 
the  departure  from  Venice  and  the  arrival  at  the 
curious  old  town  of  Acre,  on  the  Syrian  coast, 
with  its  towered  walls,  its  narrow,  winding  streets, 
its  lofty  castle,  its  temples,  palaces  and  churches, 
quite  unlike  those  of  Venice,  were  joyous  ones  to 
the  young  traveller. 

On  landing  at  Acre,  the  brothers  Polo  and 
Marco  repaired  to  the  best  inn  in  the  place;  and 
Nicolo  lost  no  time  in  seeking  out  his  old  friend, 
the  priest  Tedaldo,  to  learn  what  prospect  there 
was  of  missionaries  going  eastward  with  them. 
Tedaldo  was  rejoiced  to  see  him,  but  said  that  no 
pope  had  yet  been  chosen ;  and  begged  Nicolo 
to  stay  at  Acre  until  that  event  took  place.  At 
first  Nicolo,  impatient  to  reach  the  great  khan's 
court,  resisted  Tedaldo's  request ;  but  finally  the 
shrewd  priest  prevailed  with  him. 

"  If  you  will  give  us  leave  to  go  Jerusalem,  and  get 
some  holy  oil  from  the  lamp  on  the  Sepulchre," 
said  Nicolo,  "  we  will  not  proceed  on  our  journey 
until  you  consent.  The  great  khan  will  receive 
the  holy  oil  as  a  precious  gift." 

"  Be  it  so,"  responded  Tedaldo  ;   "  go  to  Jeru- 


MARCO  POLO   SETS  FORTH.  31 

salem,  and  after  performing  your  errand,  return 
hither.  Perhaps,  then,  we  shall  have  a  pope." 

Marco  was  well  pleased  to  visit  the  holy  city, 
which  he  now  did,  in  company  with  his  father. 
They  did  not  stay  long  at  Jerusalem  ;  but  while 
there,  Marco  had  time  to  see  all  the  ancient  and 
sacred  relics  and  curious  sights  which  still  attract 
the  traveller.  Having  procured  a  vial  of  oil  from 
the  lamp  on  the  Sepulchre  (which,  it  was  said, 
had  been  kept  constantly  burning  there  from  the 
time  of  Christ's  death),  Nicolo  returned  to  Acre. 
No  pope  had  yet  been  chosen  ;  and  nowTedaldo 
could  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  forbid  the  depart- 
ure of  the  brothers. 

They  therefore  set  out  from  Acre,  crossing  in  a 
galley  to  the  old  fortified  town  of  Ayas,  in  the 
gulf  of  Scanderoon.  Ayas  they  found  to  be  a  busy 
commercial  port,  with  teeming  bazaars  and  a 
noble  fortress  rising  near  the  shore ;  but  they  could 
not  tarry  long  there,  and  began  to  make  their 
preparations  to  penetrate  into  Armenia.  They 
were  on  the  point  of  starting,  when  an  urgent 
message  reached  them  from  Acre. 

It  seemed  that  a  pope  had  at  last  been  elected, 
and  that  the  choice  had  fallen  on  no  other  than 


32  MARCO   POLO, 

their  friend  Tedaldo  himself,  who  took  the 
name  of  Gregory  the  Tenth ;  and  he  had  sent  for 
them  to  return  at  once  to  Acre,  and  receive  his  in- 
structions how  to  deal  with  the  great  khan. 

On  reaching  Acre,  the  Polos  were  at  once  ad- 
mitted to  the  presence  of  their  old  friend,  who 
had  now  become  the  head  of  the  Church.  Te- 
daldo, or  Pope  Gregory,  as  he  should  now  be 
called,  received  them  with  all  his  old  kindness  of 
manner,  in  the  palace  where  he  was  sojourning, 
and  gave  his  special  blessing  to  young  Marco, 
whose  youth  and  bearing  greatly  pleased  him. 

Then,  turning  to  the  two  brothers,  the  pope 
said: 

"  Now  I  can  give  you  full  power  and  authority 
to  be  the  envoys  of  the  Church  to  Kublai  Khan. 
You  shall  take  with  you  two  trusty  friars,  who 
will  aid  you  in  converting  the  heathen  of  Cathay ; 
and  you  yourselves  may  ordain  bishops  and 
priests,  and  grant  absolution.  To  show  my  de- 
sire to  receive  Kublai  into  the  bosom  of  the 
Church,  1  will  give  you  some  vases  and  jars  of 
crystal,  to  take  to  him  as  presents  from  me." 

Nicolo  fell  at  the  pope's  feet,  and  did  him  hum- 
ble and  grateful  reverence  ;and  Maffeo  and  Marco 


MARCO   POLO  SETS  FORTH.  33 

followed  his  example.  All  their  wishes  seemed 
now  fulfilled  ;  and,  after  bidding  the  pope  once 
more  adieu,  and  receiving  his  blessing,  they  set 
out  to  return  to  Ayas,  inspired  by  the  new  and 
noble  purpose  of  converting  a  vast  nation  of  bar- 
barians to  the  true  faith.  With  them  went  the 
two  friars  whom  the  pope  had  appointed,  Nicolo 
of  Vicenza,  and  William  of  Tripoli ;  and  on  land- 
ing at  Ayas,  they  resolved  to  delay  their  journey 
no  longer. 

Another  mishap,  however,  was  destined  to  be- 
fall them  before  they  found  themselves  full  on 
their  way  eastward.  At  Ayas  they  learned  that 
Armenia,  the  country  through  which  they  were 
about  to  pass,  had  just  been  invaded  by  the  Sul- 
tan of  Babylon  with  a  formidable  army. 

No  sooner  had  the  two  friars  heard  this  unwel- 
come news  than  they  ran  to  Nicolo,  and  declared 
that  they  were  afraid  to  go  on,  or  even  to  stay  at 
Ayas.  In  vain  Nicolo  besought  them  to  con- 
tinue with  him,  and  even  to  brave  the  dangers 
that  now  loomed  before  them,  rather  than  give 
up  the  project  of  converting  the  people  of  Cathay. 

"No,"  replied  the  friars:  "We  are  afraid  of 
these  ruthless  Saracens.  If  they  should  capture 


34  MARCO  POLO. 

any  Christian  priests,  it  would  be  to  torture  and 
kill  them.  Take  our  credentials  and  documents, 
Messer  Polo ;  and  God  be  with  you.  We  must 
return  to  Acre." 

And  so  they  did,  taking  the  first  galley  that 
set  out  for  that  place. 

The  Polos  found  that  they  must  go  forward 
alone ;  and  after  a  last  look  at  Ayas,  and  feeling, 
truth  to  tell,  somewhat  alarmed  lest  they  should 
meet  the  Saracen  invaders,  they  started  on  the 
high  road  that  led  northward  in  the  direction  of 
Turcomania. 

Marco  observed  everything  on  the  journey  with 
the  keenest  curiosity ;  and  his  father,  who  had 
already  traversed  that  region,  was  able  to  explain 
many  sights  that  were  mysterious  to  him.  They 
passed  through  many  queer  Asiatic  cities  and 
towns,  and  Marco  stared  at  the  dusky  complex- 
ions and  picturesque  attire  of  the  natives.  The 
natives,  in  turn,  examined  the  travellers  with 
much  amazement;  but  everywhere,  in  this  part 
of  the  country,  seemed  friendly,  and  not  at  all 
disposed  to  molest  them. 

Sometimes  the  wayfarers  would  stop  in  a  city 
or  town  a  week  or  two  at  a  time,  lodging  in  very 


MARCO  POLO   SETS  FORTH.  35 

old  inns,  and  partaking  of  dishes  which  Marco 
had  never  seen  before,  and  of  some  of  which 
neither  of  the  three  knew  the  names. 

The  people  of  the  regions  through  which  they 
passed  were  usually  poverty  stricken,  and  seemed 
quite  content  with  very  little.  Marco  observed 
that  they  were  a  very  lazy  set,  and  spent  a  great 
deal  of  time  drinking  a  coarse,  rank  liquor,  which 
speedily  intoxicated  them. 

Sometimes,  however,  the  travellers  came  to  a 
town  which  had  a  well-to-do,  thriving  aspect,  and 
where  they  met  men  and  women  of  a  higher  and 
more  active  class.  The  chiefs  in  these  places 
would  treat  them  with  hearty  hospitality,  placing 
before  them  the  best  dishes  and  most  luscious 
fruits  the  region  afforded,  and  giving  them  the 
best  rooms  in  their  houses — not  very  confortable 
ones,  at  best — in  which  to  sleep. 

One  day,  a  hospitable  chief  proposed  to  the 
Polos  that  they  should  form  part  of  a  hunting  ex- 
pedition, which  was  about  to  set  out  in  search  of 
savage  game  on  the  neighboring  hills.  This  pro- 
posal gave  young  Marco  a  thrill  of  pleasure,  for 
he  had  begun  to  think  that  their  journey  was 
getting  monotonous.  At  first  his  father  refused 


3§  MARCO  POLO. 

to  let  him  go  with  the  hunting  party ;  but  Marco 
begged  so  persistently,  and  the  chief  brought 
out  a  horse  for  his  use  that  seemed  so  strong  and 
steady,  that  Nicolo  finally  yielded. 

Not  only  horses,  but  elephants  also,  bore  the 
sportsmen  to  their  scene  of  action ;  and  after 
travelling  for  two  days  across  the  plains  and 
among  the  hills,  the  party  encamped  on  a  river 
bank.  Then  Marco,  for  the  first  time,  saw  the 
fierce,  wild  sport  which  the  Asiatic  hills  and 
jungles  provided.  He  was  too  young  and  too 
little  skilled  to  take  any  active  part  in  the  hunt 
for  wild  beasts  ;  but  roamed  the  lofty  forests, 
and  brought  down  many  a  bird  of  gorgeous 
plumage,  which  proved  afterwards  to  afford  the 
sweetest  and  most  delicate  nourishment.  Once 
he  witnessed,  from  a  safe  distance,  a  terrific  en- 
counter with  a  gigantic  tiger,  which  the  natives 
attacked  from  the  backs  of  their  elephants,  and 
at  last  succeeded  in  killing  and  dragging,  with  his 
magnificent  striped  hide,  into  the  camp. 

Marco  was  afterwards  to  become  quite  accus- 
tomed to  this  thrilling  sport,  and  to  deal,  with 
his  own  hand,  many  a  finishing  blow  upon  lion 
and  tiger  and  famished  wolf. 


MAKCO  SHOOTING  IN  THE  ASIATIC  HILLS.     Page  36. 


MARCO   POLO  SETS   FORTH0  37 

After  crossing  the  eastern  edge  of  Turco- 
mania,  the  travellers  entered  the  picturesque  and 
fruitful  country  of  Greater  Armenia  with  its 
broad,  fertile  plains,  and  its  grim  and  narrow 
mountain  passes;  the  same  country,  indeed, 
which  in  our  own  times  has  been  so  often  the 
scene  of  conflict  between  the  Russians  and  the 
Turks.  They  passed  near  or  by  the  very  spots 
where  the  now  famous  fortresses  of  Kars  and 
Erzeroum  stand ;  and  as  they  proceeded,  they 
were  surprised  to  find  the  region  so  thickly 
dotted  with  towns  and  villages,  and  sometimes 
quite  stately  cities.  They  found  the  inhabitants, 
who  were  for  the  most  part  Tartars,  as  little  dis- 
posed to  molest  them  as  the  Turcomans  had 
been  ;  though,  now  and  then,  as  they  went  through 
lonely  districts,  they  were  menaced  by  brigands. 

With  them  were  several  native  guides,  whose 
language  was  already  familiar  to  the  two  elder 
Polos.  One  day,  one  of  these  guides  stopped, 
and  pointed  to  a  mountain,  whose  dim  outline 
could  just  be  made  out  in  the  hazy  distance. 

"Do  you  see  that  mountain?"  he  said,  turning 
to  the  travellers.  "  It  is  Mount  Ararat.  It  was 
there  that  Noah's  ark  was  stranded,  after  the 


38  MARCO  POLO. 

flood.  The  ark  is  still  there,  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain;  and  the  faithful  of  this  region  brave 
the  snows  with  which  Ararat  is  perpetually 
shrouded,  to  get  from  the  ark  some  of  its  pitch, 
which  they  make  into  amulets,  and  wear  as  a 
charm  around  their  necks!" 

Marco  listened  with  open  mouth,  and  stared 
long  and  earnestly  at  the  famous  eminence.  He 
could  scarcely  believe  that  the  ark  was  still  there ; 
yet  the  guide  spoke  so  earnestly  that  he  was 
loth  to  doubt  what  he  said. 

After  crossing  a  lofty  range  of  mountains,  they 
descended  into  a  wide  and  umbrageous  valley, 
through  which  meandered  a  broad,  rapidly  flow- 
ing river.  This  river,  Marco  learned,  was  no  other 
than  the  Tigris,  which  flows  northward  from  trie 
Persian  Gulf.  On  every  hand  the  young  traveller 
perceived  the  majestic  ruins  of  the  splendid  civili- 
zation which  had  once  existed  in  this  valley. 
Ruined  or  decaying  cities,  with  vast  walls,  and 
lofty  palaces,  and  towering  temples,  were  often 
encountered ;  and  near  them  nestled  the  more 
modern  towns  and  villages,  still  alive  with  the 
bustle  of  trade  or  the  vanity  of  oriental  show. 

This  country  was  the  kingdom  of  Mosul ;  and 


MARCO  POLO   SETS  FORTH.  39 

in  some  of  the  towns,  Marco  observed  manufac- 
tories of  fine  cloth,  which  was  produced  with  ra- 
pidity and  skill,  and  was  made  of  many  beautiful 
colors.  This  cloth  gave  the  name  to  what  we  now 
call  "  muslin,"  from  the  place  whence  it  was  first 
obtained ;  it  was  really  not  muslin,  but  a  much 
finer  texture,  of  silk  and  gold.  The  Polos  were 
delighted  to  find  that  large  numbers  of  the  people 
of  Mosul  were  Christians,  who  gave  them  a  wel- 
come all  the  warmer  because  of  their  professing 
the  same  faith. 

As  they  descended  the  valley  of  the  Tigris 
further  towards  the  Persian  Gulf,  however,  they 
were  destined  to  meet  with  a  very  different  kind 
of  people.  From  the  mountain  fastnesses  of 
Curdistan  there  swooped  into  the  valley  tierce 
bands  of  Curds,  the  savage  and  vindictive  race 
who  dwelt  in  those  fastnesses,  and  whose  occupa- 
tion it  was  to  rob  and  murder.  Their  very  name, 
which,  in  Turkish,  means  "wolves,"  betrayed 
their  character  and  habits.  Luckily  a  large  number 
of  Mosul  Christians  accompanied  the  travellers, 
armed  to  the  teeth,  purposely  to  protect  them 
from  the  inhuman  Curds;  and  the  latter,  when- 
ever  they  assailed  the  party,  were  driven  back, 


4<D  MARCO  POLO 

with  great  loss  of  life,  to  their  mountain  retreats 
again.  Marco  thought  he  had  never  seen  such 
ferocious  looking  creatures  as  were  some  of  the 
Curds  who  were  taken  prisoners.  They  were  very 
dark,  wore  long,  fierce  moustaches,  and  their  black 
eyes  gleamed  with  a  savage  and  murderous  glare. 
This  danger  was  therefore  escaped  ;  and,  soon 
after,  Marco  went  nearly  wild  with  joy  to  enter, 
and  see  with  his  own  eyes,  the  famous  city  of 
Bagdad.  He  had  often  heard  of  Bagdad,  from 
the  Venetian  merchants  who  had  made  journeys 
hither ;  and  often,  at  home,  had  his  curiosity  been 
aroused  to  see  the  singular  sights,  the  curious 
people,  the  ancient  temples,  gates  and  palaces, 
which  had  been  thus  described  to  him.  And  here 
he  was,  in  the  streets  of  the  old  Arab  city,  still 
in  all  the  glory  of  its  trade,  though  many  of  its 
ancient  splendors  had  departed ;  and  everything 
he  saw  filled  him  with  delight.  He  was  delighted 
when  his  father  and  uncle,  putting  up  at  the  best 
inn  the  old  city  afforded,  announced  their  inten- 
tion to  rest  some  time  in  Bagdad ;  for  now  he 
would  have  leisure  to  explore  it  thoroughly,  and 
to  hunt  up  the  very  scenes  of  the  marvellous 
tales. 


MARCO  POLO  SETS  FORTH.  4l 

He  found  Bagdad  to  be  not  only  full  of  ancient 
monuments,  but  a  very  thriving  and  busy  place, 
ruled  over  by  a  caliph,  who  had  a  large  and  val- 
iant army.  It  produced  a  bewildering  variety  of 
cloths,  such  as  silk,  gold  cloth,  and  brocade,  and 
it  was  a  fine  sight  to  see  the  men  and  women  of  the 
higher  classes,  arrayed  in  these  splendid  tissues,  as 
they  strolled  on  the  river  bank,  or  lolled  in  their 
luxurious  balconies,  that  overlooked  the  Tigris.  It 
was  while  in  this  famous  place  that  Marco  heard  a 
story  which  gave  him  an  insight  into  Oriental  char- 
acter. About  forty  years  before  there  had  been 
reigning  at  Bagdad,  a  caliph  who  was  very  avar- 
icious, and  also  very  rich.  He  had  a  lofty  tower, 
which  was  said  to  be  piled  full  of  gold  and  silver. 
A  Tartar  prince  came  with  a  great  army,  attacked 
Bagdad  and  took  it,  and  made  the  caliph  a  pris- 
oner. When  he  saw  the  tower  full  of  treasure,  the 
Tartar  conqueror  was  amazed  ;  and  ordering  the 
captive  caliph  into  his  presence,  said,  "  Caliph, 
why  hast  thou  gathered  here  so  many  riches  ? 
When  thou  knewest  I  was  coming  to  attack  thee, 
why  didst  thou  not  use  it  to  pay  soldiers  to  de- 
fend thee  ?"  The  caliph  not  replying,  the  Tartar 
went  on,  "Now,  caliph,  since  thou  hast  so  vast 


42  MARCO  POLO. 

a  love  for  this  treasure,  thou  must  eat  it !"  He 
caused  the  caliph  to  be  shut  up  in  the  tower, 
and  commanded  that  neither  food  nor  drink  should 
be  given  him  ;  for,  he  said,  he  must  eat  the  gold, 
or  nothing.  The  poor  caliph  died  in  the  tower 
some  days  after,  of  starvation,  though  surrounded 
by  heaps  of  treasure,  that  would  have  bought  food 
for  a  mighty  army. 

Marco  had  by  this  time  picked  up  enough  of 
the  language  of  the  region  to  con  verse  with  the  na- 
tives ;  and  nothing  pleased  him  more  than  to 
wander  about  the  bazaars  and  shops,  and  to  finO 
some  talkative  Mussulman,  who  would  sit  and  tell 
him  stories.  In  this  way,  he  heard  many  tales 
which  were  scarcely  less  romantic  than  those  of 
the  Arabian  Nights. 

One  of  the  stories  that  seemed  mosf  wonderful 
to  him  was  that  of  the  "  one-eyed  Gobbler." 
Some  years  before,  it  was  related,  there  reigned 
at  Bagdad  a  caliph  who  bore  bitter  hatred  against 
the  Christians,  and  who  was  resolved  to  put 
them  to  the  sword.  Thinking  to  entrap  them 
by  their  own  doctrine,  he  called  a  vast  number  of 
Christians  together,  and  pointed  to  the  passage  in 
the  Bible  which  says,  that  if  a  Christian  has  faith 


MARCO  POLO   SETS  FORTH.  43 

as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  and  should  com- 
mand  a  mountain  to  be  moved,  it  would  obey  the 
command. 

"  Now,"  said  the  caliph, "  you  who  have  such 
faith,  must  either  move  that  mountain,  which 
you  see  yonder — "  pointing  to  a  very  lofty  emi- 
nence, "  or  you  shall  one  and  all  perish  by  the 
sword.  Unless  you  do  this  in  ten  days,  or  become 
Mohammedans,  every  one  of  you  shall  die." 

The  Christians  were  terrified  and  bewildered 
at  the  caliph's  words,  and  knew  not  what  to  do. 
For  several  days  they  felt  like  men  already  lost. 
But  one  day  a  certain  bishop  came  to  them,  and 
said  that  he  had  had  a  vision  from  God  ;  and  that 
God  had  told  him  that  if  the  Christians  would 
persuade  a  certain  pious  cobbler,  who  had  but  one 
eye,  to  pray  that  the  mountain  should  be  moved, 
the  prayer  would  be  granted. 

The  cobbler  was  eagerly  sought  out.  At  first 
he  refused  to  pray  for  the  miracle,  saying  that 
he  was  no  better  than  the  rest.  But  finally  he 
consented  to  offer  up  the  prayer.  The  caliph's 
army  and  the  Christians  assembled  on  avast  plain 
before  the  mountain.  The  cobbler  knelt  and  made 
a  solemn  appeal  to  heaven :  when  lo,  the  mountain 


44  MARCO  POLO. 

rising  up,  moved  to  the  spot  that  the  caliph  had 
pointed  out !  It  was  said  that  after  this  miracle, 
the  caliph  became  secretly  a  Christian  ;  and  that 
when  he  died  a  small  ivory  cross  was  found  hung 
around  his  neck. 

Marco  was  very  loth  to  leave  Bagdad,  with  its 
romantic  memories,  its  venerable  buildings,  its 
brilliant  bazaars,  and  its  captivating  story-tellers  ; 
and  when  one  day,  Nicolo  told  him  that  they 
should  set  out  again  early  the  next  morning,  he 
felt  exceedingly  sorry  to  hear  the  news.  Fresh 
scenes,  however,  soon  diverted  his  mind  from  the 
old  city ;  and  ere  many  days  he  found  himself 
with  his  father  and  uncle  on  a  strange  galley, 
with  lateen  sails,  crossing  the  Persian  Gulf. 


MARCO   POLO.  45 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MARCO  POLO'S  TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKIS- 

TAN. 

HE  passage  across  the  Persian  Gulf  was 
a  brief  and  prosperous  one ;  and  in  due 
time  the  Polo  party  landed  on  the  soil  of 
the  ancient  country  of  Persia.  The  port  at  which 
they  set  foot  on  shore  was  an  old  fortified  town 
named  Hormuz,  with  its  towers  rising  high  above 
the  sea,  and  its  harbor  crowded  with  the  shipping 
of  many  nations.  Here  for  the  first  time  Marco 
witnessed  the  dress,  manners  and  customs  of  the 
people  who,  once  upon  a  time,  had  been  led  to 
brilliant  victory  by  Cyrus  and  Darius. 

Hormuz  itself,  with  its  bazaars,  its  wide  streets, 
its  fortresses  and  palaces,  was  not  unlike  the  cities 
Marco  had  seen  in  Armenia;  but  the  people, 
both  in  their  appearance  and  in  their  customs, 
were  very  different  from  those  of  Western  Asia, 


46  MARCO   POLO. 

They  lived,  it  appeared,  mainly  on  dates  and  salt 
fish ;  and  it  was  only  when  they  were  ill  that 
they  would  taste  bread.  For  a  beverage,  they 
drank  a  very  strong  wine,  made  of  dates  and 
spices.  The  city  seemed  to  have  but  few  inhabit- 
ants  who  actually  dwelt  in  it.  The  buildings, 
except  on  the  outskirts,  were  mostly  given  up  to 
store-houses,  shops,  and  other  places  of  business ; 
and  the  surrounding  plain  was  covered  with 
dwellings,  almost  every  one  with  a  pretty,  shady 
garden,  whither  the  mass  of  the  population  re- 
sorted at  nightfall.  Marco  soon  learned  that  the 
people  lived  in  this  way  on  account  of  the  op- 
pressive heat  which  existed  in  the  city ;  and 
found  by  his  own  experience  that  it  was  one  of 
the  hottest  places  on  earth. 

He  learned  that  sometimes  winds  swept  across 
the  deserts,  so  scorching  that  the  people  were 
obliged  to  plunge  themselves  up  to  the  neck  in 
cool  water,  and  stay  there  until  the  winds  had 
gone  down  ;  otherwise  they  would  be  burnt  to 
death  ;  and  a  story  was  told  him  of  a  hostile 
army,  which  was  literally  baked  to  death,  while 
on  its  way  to  attack  Hormuz. 

Marco  examined  the   Persian  ships  which  he 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  47 

saw  in  the  harbor  with  great  curiosity.  They 
were  wretched  affairs  compared  with  the  skil- 
fully-built Venetian  galleys.  Instead  of  being 
made  fast  with  pitch,  they  were  smeared  with  fish 
oil ;  and  were  held  together  by  a  rude  twine, 
made  of  the  husk  of  a  nut.  The  ships  were 
deckless,  the  cargo  being  only  protected  by  a 
matting;  and  had  but  one  mast, one  sail, and  one 
rudder.  The  nails  were  of  wood  ;  and  altogether, 
these  frail  craft  seemed  to  Marco  dangerous 
boats  in  which  to  cross  the  stormy  seas  of  the 
East. 

Setting  out  from  Hormuz,  the  Polos  found 
themselves  travelling  over  a  vast  and  beautiful 
plain,  which  glowed  with  the  most  brilliant 
flowers,  among  which  birds  of  gorgeous  plumage 
nestled,  and  where  dates  and  palms  grew  in  the 
richest  luxuriance.  The  plain  was  watered  by 
many  picturesque  streams,  on  the  banks  of  which 
the  travellers  gratefully  rested  after  their  long 
daily  jaunts.  The  plain  crossed,  they  began  a 
gentle  ascent  to  a  range  of  lofty  hills,  after 
traversing  which  they  found  themselves  at  Ker- 
man,  which  was  then  the  seat  of  Persian  sover- 
eignty. This,  too,  was  a  busy  place,  where  all 


48  MARCO   POLO. 

sorts  of  warlike  weapons  were  made,  and  where 
the  women  were  very  skilful  in  needle-work  and 
embroidery.  Marco  saw  a  great  number  of  beauti- 
ful light  blue  turquoises,  which  precious  stones,  he 
heard,  were  found  in  great  quantities  among  the 
neighboring  mountains. 

The  Polos  only  staid  in  Kerman  long  enough 
to  take  a  good  rest,  and  then  set  out  again ;  for 
already  they  had  been  nearly  a  year  on  their 
travels,  and  Nicolo  was  anxious  to  get  to  Cathay 
as  soon  as  possible,  lest  the  good  khan  who  had 
treated  him  so  well  before,  should  be  dead.  But 
they  had  yet  many  a  long  month  of  journeying 
before  them,  and  they  were  to  see  many  strange 
and  wonderful  things  before  they  reached  the 
end  of  their  travels.  They  now  crossed  a  beauti- 
ful country,  varied  with  plains,  hills,  and  lovely 
valleys,  where  dates  grew  in  plenty,  and  many 
other  fruits,  which  Marco  had  never  before  seen, 
hung  on  the  trees  and  bushes.  He  saw,  browsing 
in  the  meadows,  many  large,  white  oxen,  with 
short  smooth  hair,  thick  stubby  horns,  and 
humps  on  their  backs;  and  the  sheep  in  the 
pastures  were  the  biggest  he  had  ever  seen.  Al- 
most every  village  they  passed  was  surrounded  by 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  49 

a  high  wall  of  mud.  On  asking  why  this  was, 
Marco  was  told  that  the  country  was  infested 
with  banditti,  and  that  these  walls  were  built  to 
protect  the  people  from  their  bold  and  savage  in- 
cursions. A  native  declared  to  him  that  these 
banditti  were  magicians;  and  that  when  they 
wished  to  attack  a  village,  they  were  able,  by 
their  magic  spells,  to  turn  daylight  into  darkness. 
Sometimes,  this  native  said,  there  was  as  many  as 
ten  thousand  men  in  these  bands  of  robbers. 

The  travellers  heard  these  stories  of  the  ban- 
ditti with  some  alarm,  for  they  were  about  to 
pass  through  the  very  region  where  they  dwelt ; 
nor  was  this  alarm  groundless.  Scarcely  had 
they  got  fairly  away  from  one  of  the  villages, 
when  they  were  suddenly  attacked  by  a  formida- 
ble band,  and  were  forced  to  fight  desperately 
for  their  lives.  The  three  Polos  succeeded  in 
killing  a  number  of  the  robbers,  and  in  escaping 
into  a  village  just  beyond  ;  but  when  they  called 
their  guides  and  attendants  together,  they  found 
that  the  robbers  had  killed  or  captured  all  but 
seven  of  them ;  and  they  were  obliged  to  push 
forward  with  this  small  number. 

They  soon  came  to  a  dismal  and  dreary  desert, 


5O  MARCO   POLO. 

which  it  took  them  a  week  to  cross,  and  where 
they  saw  nowhere  a  vestige  of  human  habitation. 
For  three  days  they  found  no  water  whatever, 
except  some  little  salt  streams,  from  which  they 
could  not  drink,  however  parched  by  thirst.  It 
was  a  vast  solitude,  where  no  living  thing  ap- 
peared ;  and  Marco  gave  a  sigh  of  relief  and  satis- 
faction when,  towards  the  end  of  the  seventh  day, 
the  buildings  of  another  large  and  flourishing 
city  came  into  view.  But  beyond  this  city, 
another  and  still  larger  desert  stretched  out  be- 
fore them.  Profiting  by  their  previous  experi- 
ence, the  Polos  carried  with  them  an  ample  quan- 
tity of  water;  and  passed  across  the  greater 
desert  without  much  suffering.  They  had  now 
reached  the  northernmost  provinces  of  Persia. 
One  day  Marco  observed  a  very  tall,  wide- 
spreading  tree,  the  bark  of  which  was  a  bright 
green  on  one  side,  and  white  on  the  other.  This 
tree  stood  entirely  alone,  on  a  vast  plain,  where 
there  was  not  the  least  sign  of  any  other  trees, 
as  far  as  eye  could  reach  in  any  direction.  Marco 
thought  this  very  strange,  and  called  his  party  to 
look  at  it.  Then  one  of  the  Persian  guides,  whom 
they  had  brought  with  them,  told  him  that  it  was 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  51 

very  near  this  curious  tree,  which  was  called  the 
"  Dry  Tree,"  that  a  famous  battle  was  once  fought 
between  Alexander  the  Great  and  King  Darius. 

Not  long  after  passing  the  "  Dry  Tree,"  the 
travellers  entered  a  district  called  Mulchet,  not 
far  from  the  Caspian  sea ;  and  here  Marco,  who, 
everywhere  he  went,  put  himself  on  easy  terms 
with  the  most  intelligent  natives  he  could  find, 
heard  many  interesting  stories  and  legends 
about  the  country  through  which  he  was  trav- 
elling. One  of  the  most  romantic  of  these 
legends  was  that  which  related  to  the  "  Old  Man 
of  the  Mountain,"  who  it  was  said,  dwelt  in  the 
neighboring  range  not  many  years  before.  An 
old  nobleman — so  ran  the  story — who  had  plenty 
of  money,  had  caused  a  certain  deep  valley  to  be 
enclosed  with  high  walls  at  either  end,  so  that 
none  could  enter  whom  he  wished  to  keep  out  ; 
and  thus  protected,  he  cultivated  a  rare  and 
beautiful  garden  in  the  valley.  In  the  midst  of 
this  he  reared  gilded  pavilions,  and  even  lofty 
and  glittering  palaces,  whose  minarets  could  be 
seen  a  great  distance  away.  The  old  man  also 
surrounded  himself  with  many  lovely  women,  who 
sang  and  danced  exquisitely,  and  every  day 


52  MARCO   POLO. 

feasted,  with  the  chosen  few  whom  he  invited  to 
share  the  delights  of  the  valley. 

Thus  was  created  what  the  old  man  called  his 
Paradise ;  following,  as  near  as  he  could,  the  de- 
scription which  Mohammed  had  given  of  that 
celestial  abode.  It  was  said  that  he  gathered  about 
him  a  number  of  boys  and  youths,  to  whom  he 
told  tales  of  Paradise ;  and  that,  sometimes, 
making  these  youths  drink  a  certain  wine,  which 
stupefied  them,  he  had  them  carried  to  the  beauti- 
ful garden,  where  they  awoke  to  find  themselves 
in  the  midst  of  the  most  ravishing  scenes.  He 
thereby  made  them  believe  that  it  was  really 
Paradise  where  they  dwelt,  and  that  he  was  a 
great  Prophet ;  and  so  could  persuade  them  to  do 
just  what  he  pleased.  When  he  had  a  grudge 
against  any  neighboring  prince,  he  would  send 
these  youths  forth  to  kill  his  enemy,  promising 
that  if  they  did  his  bidding  they  should  forever 
live  in  this  charming  Paradise. 

Soon  he  became  a  terror  through  all  the  land, 
wreaking  his  vengeance  on  all  who  offended  him, 
and  reducing  the  rulers  round  about  to  submis- 
sion. But  by  and  by  the  king  of  the  Western 
Tartars  became  enraged  at  the  tyranny  and  mur- 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  $3 

ders  of  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,  and  re- 
solved to  put  an  end  to  them.  He  accordingly 
sent  one  of  his  generals  at  the  head  of  a  numer- 
ous army,  to  destroy  the  Old  Man's  Paradise.  In 
vain,  however,  did  the  Tartars  assail  the  solid 
towers  and  walls  that  defended  the  valley ;  they 
could  not  penetrate  it.  They  were  obliged  to 
lay  regular  siege  to  it ;  and  it  was  only  after  three 
months  that  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,  his 
courtiers  and  houris,  were  forced,  from  sheer 
want  of  food,  to  surrender.  The  old  man  him- 
self, and  all  the  youths  and  men  of  his  court,  were 
at  once  put  to  death  ;  the  palaces  and  pavilions 
were  razed  to  the  earth;  and  the  fairy-like  gar- 
dens were  ruthlessly  turned  into  a  desolate  waste. 
The  Polos  had  gone  as  far  northward  as  they 
intended,  and  now  turned  their  faces  directly  to- 
wards the  east.  They  entered  a  wild  mountain 
region,  where  there  were  but  few  human  habita- 
tions, but  which  was  broken  into  jagged  moun- 
tain masses,  in  the  defiles  of  which  were  the 
fastnesses  of  robbers.  They  were  often  attacked 
by  these  fierce  bands,  but  so  well  armed  were 
they  and  their  company,  and  so  valiant,  that  they 
escaped  this  frequent  peril.  They  reached  Balkh, 


54  MARCO   POLO. 

then  still  a  stately  city,  many  of  whose  buildings 
were  of  marble,  though  much  of  it  was  in  ruins. 
Here,  Marco  was  told,  Alexander  the  Great  had 
married  the  Persian  King  Darius's  daughter; 
and  he  gazed  with  deep  interest  on  a  place  which 
was  the  scene  of  many  thrilling  events  of  which  he 
had  read  in  history. 

From  Balkh  Marco  and  his  fellow-travellers 
rapidly  approached  those  lofty  ranges  of  gigantic 
mountains  which  rise  in  Eastern  Turkistan,  and 
which  divide  Western  Asia  from  China  on  one 
side,  and  Hindoostan  on  the  other.  As  he  gazed 
at  these  eminences,  the  peaks  of  which  seemed  to 
cleave  the  very  clouds,  Marco  was  deeply  impressed 
by  their  rugged  grandeur.  He  had  never  seen  or 
imagined  mourtains  so  high ;  and  he  wondered 
how  it  could  be  possible  for  the  party  to  cross 
them.  Sometimes,  at  the  end  of  a  valley,  they 
seemed  to  close  in  the  way  completely.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  possible  exit ;  no  declivity  or 
pass  seemed  to  open  itself  between  them.  Yet 
when  the  travellers  reached  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains, a  narrow  defile  would  be  revealed  and  they 
would  pass  through  in  single  file,  leading  their 
horses  and  camels,  sometimes  on  a  path  so  narrow 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  55 

and  so  high  above  the  gorge  by  whose  side  it 
ran,  that  it  seemed  inevitable  that  the  travellers 
would  fall  and  break  their  necks. 

All  through  these  mountains,  Marco  observed 
that  the  people  were  fierce  and  wild,  and  lived 
wandering  lives,  subsisting  on  the  game  they 
secured  by  hunting.  They  were,  for  the  most  part, 
intemperate;  and  after  a  hunt,  would  resort  to 
the  nearest  village,  and  intoxicate  themselves  with 
the  fiery  palm  wine  which  was  everywhere  made 
and  drunk  in  that  region.  In  some  places,  where 
sheep  were  raised  on  the  steep  hill-sides,  Marco 
found  that  the  shepherds  lived  in  caves  in  the 
mountains,  so  dug  as  to  form  dwellings,  with 
several  rooms.  Sometimes  these  caves  were  very 
handsomely  fitted  up. 

The  next  great  town  that  the  travellers  reached, 
after  leaving  Balkh,  was  Badakshan,  still  famous, 
in  our  own  day,  as  a  centre  of  Oriental  trade.  It 
was  then  ruled  over  by  a  powerful  king,  who 
claimed  to  be  a  direct  descendant  of  Alexander 
the  Great  and  of  King  Darius.  The  city  wras 
situated  in  the  midst  of  lofty  and  jagged  emin- 
ences ;  and  all  around,  perched  on  the  tops  of  high 
crags,  Marco  espied  the  strong  castles  and  fortresses 


56  MARCO  POLO. 

which  defended  it  from  hostile  attacks.  Every 
pass  was  thus  stoutly  guarded,  and  Marco  saw 
that  the  people  were  warlike  in  their  tastes,  being 
excellent  archers  and  very  skilful  hunters.  The 
men  wore  the  skins  of  beasts ;  and  the  women 
always  clothed  themselves  in  an  immense  quantity 
of  bombazine,  wrapped  in  many  folds  around  their 
bodies.  On  Marco's  asking  why  they  did  this,  he 
was  told  that  it  was  because  they  wished  to  appear 
very  fat ;  for  this,  in  the  eyes  of  the  men,  was  re- 
garded as  a  point  of  beauty.  The  women's  heads 
were  covered  with  hoods,  while  from  their  ears  long 
sleeves  hung  to  the  ground,  and  swayed  to  and 
fro  as  the  stout-looking  damsels  waddled  along. 

While  the  wanderers  were  staying  at  Badak- 
shan  (for  having  been  made  welcome  by  the  king, 
they  were  in  no  great  haste  to  depart)  Marco  fell 
extremely  ill  with  a  fever.  For  a  while  his  life  was 
despaired  of ;  but  the  skill  of  the  native  doctors 
at  last  set  him  on  his  feet  again.  As  soon  as  he 
was  able  to  stir  abroad,  the  doctors  told  him  to 
go  to  the  summit  of  one  of  the  neighboring  moun- 
tains and  stay  awhile.  This  he  did ;  and  the  air 
was  so  pure  and  dry  at  that  elevation,  that  he 
very  rapidly  recovered.  Leaving Badakshan,  where 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  57 

the  Venetians  had  much  enjoyed  their  rest  and 
the  hospitality  of  the  monarch,  they  soon  found 
themselves  passing  along  the  banks  of  a  wide  and 
swift  river,  the  same  that  we  now  know  as  the 
Oxus ;  which,  at  the  point  that  they  reached  it, 
issued  from  a  vast  lake,  fed  by  the  eternal  snows 
of  the  surrounding  eminences. 

The  river  flowed  in  a  vast  and  most  picturesque 
valley  between  two  lofty  ranges;  and  Marco  was 
fairly  transported  by  the  exceeding  grandeur  of  the 
river.  Ascending  then  to  the  plateau  beyond,  the 
travellers  found  themselves  on  a  higher  level  than 
they  had  ever  before  reached,  where  the  atmos- 
phere was  so  rare  that  they  actually  found  it 
difficult  to  breathe.  This  was  no  other  than  the 
famous  Pamir  Steppe,  which  extends,  in  a  broad 
tableland,  for  many  miles  between  Turkistan  and 
Chinese  Tartary.  The  views  from  this  high  alti- 
tude were  imposing  in  the  extreme.  In  the  dis- 
tance rose  the  snowy  summits  of  the  Himalayas; 
while  far  below  the  travellers  lay  the  sunny  and 
luxuriant  valleys,  creeping  far  under  the  moun- 
tain shadows,  in  some  of  which  was  the  birth-place 
of  that  great  Aryan  tribe  from  which  almost  every 
European  nation  has  descended. 


58  MARCO  POLO. 

Many  were  the  interesting  sights  that  Marco 
saw,  as  the  party  slowly  wended  its  way  over  the 
mighty  steppe.  There  were  sheep  with  horns 
three  or  four  feet  long,  out  of  which  horns  the 
shepherds  made  knives  and  spoons.  Every  little 
while,  along  the  road,  Marco  saw  piles  of  these 
horns  heaped  up,  and  learned  that  they  were 
landmarks  to  guide  the  traveller  on  his  way,  when 
the  snows  of  winter  concealed  the  road  from 
view.  Marco  was  surprised  to  see  no  villages,  or 
even  huts,  on  the  great  steppe ,  and  found  that 
the  shepherds,  who  were  its  only  inhabitants, 
dwelt  in  mountain  caves. 

Descending  at  last  from  the  Pamir  Steppe,  the 
party  entered  what  was  then  the  noble  and 
flourishing  city  of  Samarcand.  This  place  was 
not  many  years  after  to  be  taken  by  the  famous 
Tartar  warrior,  Timour  Tamerlane,  and  to  be 
made  the  seat  of  his  splendid  empire  m  Central 
Asia;  and  in  our  own  day,  the  visitor  to 
Samarcand  is  taken  to  a  mosque  where,  he 
is  told,  repose  Timour's  remains.  Marco  was 
greatly  impressed  with  the  wealth  and  splendor 
of  the  city,  its  imposing  temples  and  palaces, 
and  its  bustling  bazaars;  but  time  was  pass- 


TRAVELS  IN  PERSIA  AND  TURKISTAN.  59 

ing,  and  the  travellers  were  forced  to  hurry  away 
and  continue  their  journey  eastward.  Beyond 
Samarcand,  they  proceeded  through  fruitful 
valleys  and  delightful  scenes,  across  fields  where 
the  cotton  plant  was  growing  luxuriantly,  by 
orchards  and  vineyards,  and  through  villages 
where  cloths  of  many  kinds  were  being  made. 
They  came  to  spots  where  they  saw  the  people 
searching,  among  the  rocks  and  in  the  moun. 
tain  sides,  for  rare  jewels;  and  Marco  saw  the 
men  extracting  rubies,  jasper,  and  calcedony  from 
the  hiding-places  where  nature  had  concealed 
them. 

So  travelling,  they  came  at  last  to  a  town  on 
the  banks  of  a  lake,  called  Lop.  This  town  stood 
on  the  borders  of  the  great  Gobi  Desert,  which 
now  alone  separated  the  Polos  from  the  western 
confines  of  China ;  and  before  entering  upon  the 
long  tramp  across  this  dreary  waste,  they  resolved 
to  stay  at  Lop  a  week  and  rest.  Meanwhile, 
they  made  ample  preparations  for  crossing  the 
great  desert.  It  would  take  them  a  month,  they 
were  told,  to  gain  the  other  side ;  and  they 
therefore  packed  enough  provisions  to  last  them 
that  length  of  time.  Happily,  there  was  no 


6O  MARCO  POLO. 

need  that  they  should  burden  themselves  with 
water;  for  the  desert,  arid  as  it  was,  provided 
streams  that  ran  from  the  lofty  ranges  near  by, 
in  sufficient  abundance  to  supply  all  who  crossed 
its  wide  expanse. 


MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MARCO  POLO   REACHES  CATHAY. 

[FTER  passing  across  the  great  Gobi 
Desert,  where  he  endured  many  hardships, 
and  once  came  near  being  lost,  by  being 
separated  from  his  companions,  Marco  encoun- 
tered a  very  different  country  and  people  from 
those  he  had  before  seen.  Before  he  had  met 
with  Turcomans  only ;  for  the  most  part  fierce, 
wandering  tribes,  given  to  plundering  and  mur- 
der, and  going  from  place  to  place,  without  any 
settled  home.  Now  he  found  himself  among  a 
quiet,  busy,  and  to  a  large  degree  civilized  people, 
the  greater  portion  of  whom  seemed  to  be  farmers, 
devoted  to  the  tilling  of  their  fruitful  and  abund- 
antly yielding  lands. 

Instead  of  the  tall,  large-featured,  heavily- 
bearded  Turcomans,  the  people  were  short  and 
squat,  with  squinted  eyes,  high  cheek  bones,  hair 


62  MARCO  POLO. 

braided  in  long  queues  behind,  and  a  peculial 
yellow  complexion. 

They  were,  indeed,  Chinese.  Their  loose  cos- 
tumes, their  hats  turned  up  at  the  brim,  their 
small  shoes  turned  up  at  the  toes,  their  taste  in 
dress,  marked  them  as  a  quite  distinct  race  from 
the  inhabitants  of  the  mountain  regions  Marco 
had  not  long  before  traversed.  Instead  of  the 
plain  mosques,  too,  with  their  glaring  white  ex- 
teriors, their  bare  interiors,  and  their  big  bulb- 
like  domes,  Marco  now  saw  gorgeous  temples, 
decked  out  both  inside  and  out  with  the  greatest 
profusion  of  ornament,  and  containing  huge  idols 
that  fairly  glittered  with  gilding  and  gems.  The 
towns,  instead  of  consisting  of  low,  plain  buildings, 
were  full  of  variety  and  adornment  in  their  archi- 
tecture, and  displayed  the  high  degree  to  which 
the  arts  had  even  then  been  carried  by  the 
Chinese. 

Everywhere  the  fields  were  aglow  with  rich 
and  plentiful  crops.  Marco  could  not  but  per- 
ceive the  air  of  home-like  contentment  that 
everywhere  prevailed,  in  contrast  with  the  restless 
and  savage  customs  of  the  Turcomans  ;  and  as  he 
passed  through  the  Chinese  villages  towards 


MARCO   POLO   REACHES  CATHAY.  63 

evening,  he  was  visibly  reminded  of  home 
when  he  saw  the  Chinese  families  cozily  seated  in 
front  of  their  doors,  or  in  the  little  shaded  balco- 
nies over  them,  enjoying,  after  the  day's  labor,  the 
serenity  and  repose  of  the  twilight  hours,  very 
much  as  the  Venetians  were  wont  to  do. 

He  was  much  struck  by  the  great  number  of 
temples  and  of  monasteries  which  he  saw  as  the 
party  penetrated  the  country.  Instead  of  the 
worship  of  Mohammed  the  Prophet,  the  people 
were  Buddhists,  and  paid  their  devotion  to  the 
countless  idols  everywhere  set  up.  Marco  soon 
learned  a  great  deal  about  the  manners  and 
habits  of  this  race,  which  greatly  excited  his  cu- 
riosity. Every  Chinese  who  had  children  was  wont, 
at  a  certain  festival,  to  take  them,  with  a  sheep,  to 
one  of  the  temples,  where  the  sheep  was  cooked  and 
offered  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  chief  idol.  After  the 
meat  had  been  left  for  some  time  at  the  feet  of  the 
idol,  it  was  taken  away,  and  the  man  invited  his 
friends  together  to  feast  upon  it.  The  bones  were 
then  collected,  and  kept  in  the  house  with  much 
reverence  and  care.  When  a  man  or  woman  died 
the  body  was  burned.  It  was  first  carried  to  a  sort 
of  pavilion,  erected  for  the  purpose,  and  placed 


64  MARCO  POLO. 

in  it ;  and  then  the  friends  brought  wine  and  food, 
and  put  it  before  the  corpse.  Arriving  at  the 
funeral  pyre,  the  mourners  cut  out  of  paper  a  num. 
ber  of  little  figures,  representing  men,  horses, 
camels  and  lions,  which  they  threw  upon  the 
flames  as  they  enveloped  the  dead  person  ;  be- 
lieving that  by  so  doing  they  insured  their  rela- 
tion the  possession  of  the  realities  thus  represented, 
in  the  other  world. 

One  day,  the  Venetians  arrived  at  a  city  called 
Kamul,  which  struck  Marco,  as  a  very  gay  and 
lively  place.  The  people  here  seemed  to  think  of 
nothing  but  having  a  perpetual  good  time.  Their 
main  occupation  was  that  of  farming;  but  they 
seemed  to  work  very  little,  while  their  store- 
houses  were  full  to  overflowing,  and  they  evidently 
had  an  abundance  of  good  things.  From  morning 
till  night,  while  Marco  staid  at  Kamul,  he  heard 
nothing  but  sounds  of  music,  singing,  and  danc- 
ing. He  was  awakened  by  the  playing  of  strange 
loud  musical  instruments,  and  went  to  sleep  with 
their  sounds  still  ringing  in  his  ears.  The  people 
were  exceedingly  hospitable,  and  vied  with  each 
other  to  receive  the  strangers  as  their  guests. 
The  master  of  the  house  where  Marco  lodged, 


MARCO  POLO  REACHES  CATHAY.       6j 

having  seen  to  it  that  he  was  comfortably  en. 
sconced,  went  off  to  another  house,  leaving  Marco 
to  do  as  he  pleased,  and  for  the  time  master. 
Marco  could  not  fail  to  observe  that  the  women 
of  Kamul  were  not  only  full  of  gayety  and  fond  of 
amusement,  but  were  singularly  handsome.  Every 
evening  there  were  dancing  and  singing  in  the 
open  spaces  in  front  of  the  houses,  in  which  all 
seemed  to  join  with  the  heartiest  gusto. 

Marco  found  that  sorcerers  and  magicians  were 
held  in  awe  and  high  respect  here,  as  in  other 
countries  through  which  he  had  passed.  The 
Chinese  sorcerers  were  very  different  looking 
personages,  however,  from  those  he  had  so  often 
seen  in  Turkistan.  They  wore  long  moustaches, 
that  flowed  down  on  their  breasts  ;  but  no  beards 
on  their  chins.  Instead  of  long  black  gowns, 
they  appeared  in  tunics,  blazoned  all  over  with 
the  figures  of  dragons,  dolphins  and  other  fabu- 
lous animals.  They  carried  long  wands,  often  of 
silver  or  gold;  and  on  their  heads  they  wore  high 
caps,  richly  fringed.  Whenever  a  sorcerer  passed 
along  the  street,  the  people  uncovered  until  he 
had  gone  by.  These  mysterious  men  lived  apart" 
from  the  rest  of  the  world,  often  in  monasteries 


66  MARCO  POLO. 

that  stood  on  hills  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town ; 
and  it  was  the  custom  of  the  people,  whenever 
any  special  event  occurred  in  their  towns,  such  as 
a  birth,  a  death,  a  journey  or  a  fire,  to  seek  in 
all  haste  their  magicians  to  learn  its  significance 
and  bearing  upon  their  lives. 

The  sorcerers,  of  course,  charged  a  large  round 
sum  for  their  prophecies ;  and  so  were  all  rich, 
and  lived  in  much  grandeur  and  luxury.  As  soon 
as  any  one  died,  the  sorcerer  was  applied  to,  and 
informed  of  the  exact  date  of  the  dead  person's 
death.  He  then  went  into  his  room  and  performed 
a  number  of  strange  incantations ;  after  which  he 
was  able  to  tell  the  relatives  what  day  and  hour 
it  would  be  lucky  to  bury  the  dead.  He  would 
also  inform  them  by  what  door  the  corpse  should 
be  carried  out  of  the  house  ;  and  sometimes  told 
them  that  it  must  be  brought  into  the  street 
through  a  hole  made  in  the  wall,  so  as  to  give 
good  fortune  to  the  living  relatives. 

Not  far  from  Kamul,  Marco  and  his  party  came 
to  a  large  mining  district,  where  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  witness  another  instance  of  the  skill  and 
intelligence  of  the  Chinese.  There  were  mines 
of  copper  and  antimony?  and  also  mines  from 


MARCO   POLO   REACHES  CATHAY.  6/ 

which  a  very  peculiar  mineral,  called  asbestos,  was 
taken.  The  ore  of  this  asbestos,  it  seems,  was 
taken  from  the  mountains  and  broken  up,  and 
then  became  a  sort  of  stringy  mass.  It  was  dried 
and  crushed  in  a  mortar,  and  then  formed  a  rough, 
strong  thread.  This  thread  was  woven  into  cloth, 
and  being  bleached  by  fire,  became  as  white  as 
snow,  and  very  strong.  The  idea  of  making  a 
cloth  out  of  a  mineral,  dug  from  mountain  gorges, 
was  a  new  and  surprising  one  to  our  young  trav- 
eller. 

As  Marco  advanced  through  the  country,  which 
was  that  of  Tangat,  he  observed  that  the  temples 
became  larger  and  more  magnificent,  and  that  the 
idols  in  them  also  increased  in  size  and  splendor 
of  decoration.  He  saw,  at  one  of  the  more  popu- 
lous cities,  idols  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  of  wood, 
stone,  and  clay,  completely  covered  with  thick 
plates  of  gold  and  ivory.  In  some  of  these  tern- 
pies,  the  priests,  unlike  those  of  other  parts  of 
China,  lived  with  great  sobriety  and  even  self, 
denial.  During  one  month  in  the  year  these 
priests  would  not  kill  any  animal,  or  even  insect, 
however  small .  and  in  this  month  they  only  par- 
took  of  flesh,  and  that  of  the  plainest  kind,  once 


68  MARCO   POLO. 

in  five  days.  The  people  of  this  region,  on  the 
other  hand,  lived  in  a  very  gross  and  beastly  way, 
giving  themselves  up  to  self-indulgence  and  in- 
dolence. The  richer  men  had  many  wives,  whom 
they  divorced  as  soon  as  they  got  sick  of  them ; 
and  often  married  their  cousins  and  other  near 
relatives.  They  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to 
eating,  drinking  and  sleeping,  and  impressed 
Marco  as  a  much  lower  order  of  beings  than  the 
other  Chinese  he  had  seen. 

The  travellers  were  about  to  resume  their  jour- 
ney westward,  when  they  heard  news  that  greatly 
disappointed  them,  and  caused  them  to  delay 
their  departure  from  Campicion,  the  chief  town 
ot  Tangat.  This  news  was,  that  a  great  war  had 
broken  out  between  two  nations  whose  territories 
were  directly  in  their  path  to  Cathay.  Their  way, 
indeed,  lay  through  the  very  region  where  the  war 
had  already  begun  to  rage.  To  attempt  to  reach 
Cathay  by  any  other  road  was  impossible ;  for  the 
countries  north  and  south  were  unknown  to  their 
guides,  and  they  would  probably  get  lost,  or  fall 
into  the  hands  of  hostile  races,  if  they  tried  an 
unknown,  roundabout  road. 

They  were,  therefore,  forced  to  content  them- 


MARCO   POLO   REACHES   CATHAY.  69 

selves  with  awaiting  the  return  of  peace  at  Cam- 
picion  ,  an  idea  which  was  far  from  pleasant  to 
Marco,  who  did  not  think  it  an  attractive  place, 
and  was,  moreover,  very  impatient  to  reach  his 
journey's  end.  He  made  the  best  of  circumstances, 
however,  and  finding  that  the  war  was  likely  to  last 
some  time,  resolved  to  spend  the  time  of  waiting 
in  making  explorations  in  the  neighboring  regions. 
He  accordingly  set  out  with  a  small  company,  and 
made  his  way  from  place  to  place  as  best  he 
could,  narrowly  observing  all  the  curious  peoples 
and  customs  that  he  encountered. 

He  soon  found  himself  once  more  on  the  edge 
of  the  great  desert,  and  came  to  a  large  and 
ancient  city  called  Ezina,  which  was  more  than 
half  in  ruins.  He  soon  learned  that  it  had  once 
been  a  thriving  capital,  and  had  been  taken  by 
the  famous  Tartar  warrior,  Genghis  Khan.  Now  it 
was  inhabited  by  a  roving  and  sport-loving  pop- 
ulation, who  only  lived  in  it  in  summer,  descend- 
ing into  the  valleys  and  there  dwelling  in  the 
winter  season.  These  people  were  much  given 
to  the  rearing  of  camels  and  horses,  and  were 
exceedingly  fond  of  hunting  in  the  vast  pine 
forests  that  spread  over  the  neighboring  hills. 


/O  MARCO   POLO. 

From  Ezina  Marco  went  to  a  still  larger  city  of 
Karakorum,  which  seemed  to  him  at  least  three 
miles  in  circumference,  and  which,  as  he  heard, 
had  once  been  the  capital  of  the  Tartar  conquer- 
ors of  China.  It  stood  on  a  very  picturesque 
spot.  A  beautiful  river  flowed  near  its  walls,  on 
the  banks  of  which  were  numberless  tents,  occu- 
pied by  wandering  Tartar  tribes  who  preferred 
this  mode  of  life  to  dwelling  in  the  city  itself. 
The  mountains  were  not  far  off;  and  on  many  a 
crag  and  spur  Marco  could  espy  the  lordly  cas- 
tles where  once  had  dwelt  the  proud  Tartar 
nobles. 

It  was  at  Karakorum  that  Marco  for  the  first 
time  heard  the  wonderful  story  of  the  conquests 
of  Genghis  Khan,  the  mighty  Tartar  chief  whose 
descendant,  Kublai  Khan,  was  then  reigning  in 
Cathay.  He  listened  with  wrapt  attention  to 
the  accounts  which  some  of  the  natives,  whose 
acquaintance  he  made,  gave  of  the  terrific  battle 
in  which  Genghis  Khan  had  overthrown  the 
haughty  tyrant,  Prester  John,  and  had  himself 
won  sway  over  all  the  surrounding  region. 
Genghis  Khan,  it  seemed,  had  asked  Prester 
John  to  give  him  his  daughter  to  wife;  and 


MARCO   POLO  REACHES  CATHAY.  Jl 

Prester  John  had  returned  a  haughty  refusal. 
"What  is  this  Genghis  Khan,"  Prester  John  had 
exclaimed,  "  but  my  dog  and  slave !  Go  and  let 
him  know  that  I  would  burn  my  daughter  to  ashes 
before  I  would  give  her  to  him.  Tell  him  he  is  a  dog 
and  a  traitor !"  Genghis  Khan  was  beside  himself 
with  rage  when  he  heard  this  insulting  message,  and 
swore  that  he  would  humble  Prester  John's  pride 
in  the  dust.  He  gathered  in  all  haste  a  vast  Tartar 
army,  and  sent  word  to  Prester  John  to  defend 
himself  as  best  as  he  could.  Then  Genghis  in- 
vaded his  foe's  territory,  and  on  the  beautiful 
plain  of  Tenduc  met  Prester  John's  forces  in  ter- 
rible conflict.  The  battle  raged  furiously  for  two 
days  ;  at  the  end  of  which  the  invader's  victory 
was  complete.  Prester  John  himself  fell  dead  in 
the  midst  of  his  host ;  and  Genghis  Khan  over- 
ran his  kingdom  without  resistance.  Thus  the 
Tartars  had  come  into  the  possession  of  all  China, 
from  the  great  desert  to  the  eastern  seas ;  and 
everywhere,  in  the  region  where  Marco  now  was, 
he  saw  the  vestiges  of  their  wars  and  triumphs. 
During  his  expeditions  Marco  saw  and  heard 
much  that  was  interesting  about  the  Tartars. 
He  found  that  everywhere  he  went,  they  were 


KAKCO    FUi-U. 


in  the  habit  of  living  on  the  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains in  summer,  and  in  the  sunny  and  well- 
watered  valleys  in  the  winter.  They  could  move 
their  residence  thus  easily,  as  the  tents  they  lived 
in  were  made  of  felt,  and  being  very  light,  could 
readily  be  carried  from  place  to  place.  They 
were  so  superstitious  that  they  always  placed  the 
openings  of  their  tents  to  the  South,  as  to  put 
them  in  any  other  way  was  a  bad  omen.  The 
Tartar  men  did  nothing  but  hunt  and  go  to  war; 
their  wives  did  all  the  home  work,  the  trading, 
and  the  cultivating  of  the  fields.  They  lived 
principally  on  milk  and  the  game  they  brought 
in  from  the  forests  and  fields  ;  though  sometimes 
Marco  found  them  feasting  on  the  flesh  of  camels 
and  even  dogs. 

These  Tartars  had  each  many  wives,  but  they 
always  held  the  wife  they  first  married  in  the 
highest  esteem.  Husbands  and  wives  were  strictly 
faithful  to  each  other,  and  a  marriage  was  always 
the  occasion  of  a  great  deal  of  feasting  and 
merry-making.  Each  Tartar  family  had  an  idol 
of  its  own,  made,  curiously  enough,  of  cloth  ; 
and  very  queer-looking  things,  like  rude  dolls. 
did  these  idols  seem  to  Marco.  The  idol  was 


MARCO   POLO   REACHES  CATHAY.  73 

placed  in  a  little  room  apart,  and  by  his  side  were 
smaller  idols,  representing  his  wife  and  children. 
Before  the  family  ate,  they  smeared  the  idol's 
mouth  with  some  fat  meat,  and  lay  some  pieces 
of  bread  at  his  feet. 

The  richer  Tartars,  Marco  observed,  were  often 
very  handsomely  attired  in  robes  of  silk  fringed 
with  gold,  and  in  coats  made  of  many  beautiful 
furs.  The  soldiers  had  clubs,  swords,  and  bows 
and  arrows,  in  the  use  of  the  latter  of  which 
they  were  very  expert.  When  they  went  to  war, 
they  wore  heavy  buffalo  cloaks  which  served 
as  armor. 

While  Marco  was  away  on  one  of  his  jaunts, 
he  one  day  received  a  message  from  his  father, 
saying  that  the  war  which  had  delayed  them 
was  now  over,  and  urging  him  to  hasten  back 
to  Campicion,  that  they  might  proceed  on 
their  journey.  He  therefore  hurried  back,  and  as 
soon  as  he  had  arrived,  the  party  once  more  set 
out.  They  had  been  detained  at  Campicion  no 
less  than  a  year;  no  wonder  that  they  were 
tired  of  their  long  wanderings. 

The  travellers  now  passed  through  scenes 
marked  by  the  ravages  of  a  ferocious  war.  In 


74  MARCO  POLO. 

some  places  the  villages  were  entirely  laid  waste; 
in  others,  half-burned  cities  betrayed  the  savage 
nature  of  the  contest.  At  last  they  emerged 
again  into  a  pleasant  and  thriving  region,  and 
soon  found  themselves  in  the  lovely  plain  of 
Tenduc,  where,  long  before,  the  great  battle  be- 
tween Genghis  Khan  and  Prester  John  had  been 
fought.  Here  Marco  was  surprised  to  learn  that 
most  of  the  inhabitants  were  Christians  ;  and  he 
saw  for  himself  that  they  were  very  industrious, 
and  were  prosperous  farmers  and  skilful  artisans. 
This  was  the  country  which,  it  was  said,  was 
once  upon  a  time  ruled  over  by  two  mighty  giants, 
named  Gog  and  Magog.  Marco  heard  with  de- 
light that  Tenduc  was  not  many  days'  journey  from 
the  place  where  at  last  his  eyes  would  be  grati- 
fied with  the  sight  of  Kublai,  the  great  khan. 
The  travellers  were  already  in  Cathay,  and  the 
end  of  their  long  wanderings  was  near.  They 
had  learned  that  Kublai  Khan  was  at  his  summer 
palace  at  Shandu,  in  the  northern  part  of  his 
dominions ;  and  they  had  accordingly  directed 
their  course  thither.  Nicolo  knew  well  that  they 
would  be  most  warmly  welcomed  when  they 
came  into  the  Tartar  sovereign's  presence; 


MARCO   POLO    REACHES   CATHAY.  75 

for  when  he  had  been  in  Cathay  before.  He  had 
found  it  difficult  to  get  away  from  the  khan's 
court. 

As  they  approached  the  goal  of  their  travels, 
the  Venetians  passed  through  a  more  and  more 
thickly  settled  country,  and  larger  and  richer 
cities ;  until  one  morning  they  arrived  at  an  im- 
posing place  called  Cianganor,  where  were  a 
stately  palace  and  a  vast  park  belonging  to  the 
khan.  This  was  only  a  three  day's  journey  from 
Shandu ;  and  Nicolo  resolved  to  stay  here  until 
he  had  sent  forward  a  messerger  to  Kublai  Khan 
to  apprize  him  of  their  coming,  and  to  receive 
his  reply.  They  had  aot  long  to  wait;  for 
withm  a  week  their  mo&senger  returned,  with  a 
numerous  and  brilliant1  cavalcade  which  the  khan 
had  dispatched  to  escort  the  Venetians  to  his 
palace.  At  the  AA/ne  time,  he  sent  word  that 
he  was  awa/tir.g  their  arrival  with  great  im- 
patience. 

No  time  was  l&st  in  setting  out  for  Shandu, 
the  road  to  which  lay  through  a  smiling  and 
thickly  settled  country.  On  the  third  day,  about 
noon,  they  had  arrived  within  sight  of  the  vast 
palace  which  served  the  khan  as  his  summer 


76  MARCO   POLO. 

residence,  and  beyond  which  stretched  out,  for 
miles,  the  hunting  grounds  where  he  enjoyed  the 
rough  pastimes  of  the  chase.  As  the  travellers 
approached  nearer,  they  perceived  a  great  multi- 
tude of  horsemen  coming  towards  them  ;  and 
soon  one  of  their  escort  exclaimed  that  the  khan 
himself  was  there.  Marco  eagerly  strained  his 
eyes  in  the  direction  of  those  who  were  ap- 
proaching ;  and  pretty  soon  was  able  to  perceive 
a  huge  elephant  in  the  midst  of  the  horsemen, 
upon  whose  back  appeared  a  glittering  canopy  of 
silk  and  gold.  It  was  indeed  the  khan,  coming 
out  to  welcome  his  guests. 

As  soon  as  he  was  near  enough,  the  khan  de- 
scended from  his  elephant,  and  the  Polos  and  their 
party  leaped  from  their  horses  upon  the  ground. 
Nicolo,  Maffeo  and  Marco  advanced  toward  the 
monarch  with  bowed  heads,  and  fell  at  his  feet. 
Kublai  gently  raised  the  brothers,  and  warmly 
embraced  one,  and  then  the  other. 

"  Good  Venetians,"  he  said,  "  I  am  filled  with 
joy  to  see  you.  Welcome  back  to  Cathay.  You 
have  kept  your  promise  to  return,  and  I  am  grate- 
ful  to  you.  But  who,"  he  asked,  turning  to 
Marco,  "  is  this  comely  youth?" 


MARCO    FOLO   REACHES  CATHAY.  JJ 

"  Sire,"  replied  Nicolo.  "  He  is  your  majesty's 
servant,  my  son." 

The  khan  looked  at  Marco  from  head  to  foot, 
and  advancing  to  him,  smiled  very  pleasantly. 

"  Then,"  said  he,  "  your  son  is  also  welcome.  I 
am  much  pleased  with  him." 

Once  more  mounting,  the  three  Polos  rode  by 
the  khan's  side  until  they  reached  the  palace. 
That  evening  the  khan  gave  a  great  feast  in  honor 
of  the  travellers'  arrival;  and  that  night,  the  Polos 
found  themselves  luxuriously  lodged  in  some 
of  the  best  apartments  the  imperial  palace 
afforded. 


78  MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  IMPERIAL  HUNTING  GROUNDS. 

T  had  taken  the  Polos  almost  four  long 
years  to  reach  the  hunting  grounds  of  the 
great  khan  from  Venice.  Marco,  who 
was  seventeen  when  he  set  out  from  home,  was 
now  a  tall  and  slender  young  man  of  twenty-one, 
bronzed  by  the  suns  and  hardships  of  many  months, 
and  rejoicing  in  a  slight  moustache,  which  im- 
parted a  manly  appearance  to  his  features. 

He  had  seen  many  strange  sights  in  the  lands 
through  which  he  had  passed ;  had  witnessed 
many  singular  peoples,  gorgeous  shows,  and  peril- 
ous sports.  But  when  he  beheld  the  splendid  es- 
tablishment of  Kublai  Khan  at  Shandu, he  thought 
to  himself  that  this  far  surpassed  all  that  he  had 
before  witnessed.  Here,  at  the  further  end  of 
the  world,  at  the  remotest  confines  of  Asia,  was 
a  display  of  riches  and  magnificent  luxury  such 


THE   IMPERIAL   HUNTING   GROUNDS.  79 

as,  probably,  no  European  potentate,  however 
mighty,  could  maintain. 

It  was  not  long  before  he  had  ample  opportuni- 
ties to  observe  everything  in  the  great  summer 
palace  at  Shandu  and  the  vast  hunting  grounds, 
stretching  away  for  miles  over  forest,  hill  and  dale, 
which  served  as  the  scene  of  the  hardy  recrea- 
tions of  the  Tartar  monarch.  Installed  in  the 
palace,  and  finding  himself  surrounded  on  every 
hand  by  its  lavish  decorations  and  its  numberless 
comforts,  he  eagerly  scanned  all  the  objects  about 
him. 

The  palace  itself  was  a  vast  though  not  very 
lofty  edifice,  constructed  of  marble,  porphyry, 
and  other  beautiful  stones.  It  comprised  long 
series  of  spacious  halls,  and  enclosed  a  number  of 
wide,  sunny  courts,  in  the  midst  of  which  rare 
plants  flourished  and  fountains  forever  played. 
The  walls  of  the  apartments  were  painted  with 
figures  of  men,  women,  beasts  and  birds;  and, 
however  rude  these  paintings  seemed  to  Vene- 
tians, accustomed  to  the  most  advanced  art  the 
world  then  knew,  their  colors  were  brilliant  and 
gorgeous,  and  they  presented  to  Marco's  eyes  a 
dazzling  effect.  They  much  resembled,  indeed, 


8O  MARCO  POLO. 

the  pictures  which  we  now  see  that  come  from 
Japan.  Between  these  pictures,  the  walls  were 
lavishly  gilded,  and  shone  wonderfully.  In  the 
great  hall  was  a  raised  dais,  sheltered  by  a  large 
canopy  of  the  richest  cloth ;  and  upon  the  dais 
was  a  gorgeous  throne,  which  seemed  ablaze  with 
gold,  and  upon  which  the  khan  sat  when,  as  he 
often  did,  he  held  his  court  at  Shandu. 

Besides  this  main  palace  there  stood,  in  the 
park  beyond,  another  palace  which  was  put  up 
when  the  khan  went  to  Shandu,  and  was  taken 
down  again  when  he  departed  from  thence  to  his 
southern  capital.  This  building  was  quite  as 
large  as  the  other,  but  was  made  of  thick,  long 
canes,  that  grew  plentifully  in  the  neighboring 
jungles.  These  were  cut  lengthwise  from  one 
knot  to  the  other,  and  formed  the  roof  ;  and  the 
structure  was  supported  by  stout  silken  cords. 
It  was,  indeed,  rather  a  kind  of  wooden  tent  than 
a  building,  and  was  so  arranged  that  it  could  be 
taken  apart  and  packed  away ;  and  yet,  when  it 
was  set  up,  its  walls  appeared  decorated  with  gay 
pictures  of  hunting  scenes,  which  were  relieved  by 
broad  stripes  of  gilt.  The  roof  of  the  edifice  was 
90  thickly  varnished  as  to  be  perfectly  water  tight 


THE   IMPERIAL  HUNTING   GROUNDS.  8l 

Surrounding  these  palaces  were  the  vast  hunt- 
ing grounds  devoted  to  the  pastimes  of  the 
khan  and  his  pleasure-loving  court.  They  were 
enclosed  by  a  wall  which  was  no  less  than  sixteen 
miles  around.  The  tract  thus  enclosed  presented 
the  most  attractive  variety  of  Oriental  scenery. 
There  were  dense  forests  crowded  with  huge 
trees,  in  which  roamed  not  only  stags,  deer  and 
wild-goats,  but  lions,  tigers,  leopards  and  ele- 
phants. There  were  enchanting  dells,  through 
the  midst  of  which  flowed  sparkling  streams  and 
in  which  the  hunters  might  rest  and  dine  amid 
their  sport.  There  were  broad  spaces  of  lawn 
and  flower-garden,  with  many  fountains  playing 
on  the  turf  and  flowers,  and  lovely  groves  that 
gave  grateful  shelter  from  the  blazing  summer 
sun  of  Tartary.  There  were  delightful  meadows, 
stretching  off  from  the  slopes  of  verdant  hills  to 
the  borders  of  rivers,  ponds  and  lakes ;  and  there 
were  carefully-tended  parks  where,  in  the  open 
air,  the  Tartar  court  held  many  of  its  solemn  fes- 
tivals and  more  joyous  merry-makings. 

But  even  all  this  did  not  suffice  to  content  the 
khan  in  his  summer  pleasures.  Three  days' 
journey  away  there  stood,  at  Cianganor,  yet 


82  MARCO   POLO. 

another  palace,  whither  he  retreated  when  he 
wearied  of  the  delights  of  Shandu.  This  palace 
was  quite  as  large  as  the  other  two,  and  it  had 
the  advantage  of  being  situated  on  a  very  broad 
and  beautiful  plain,  and  on  the  borders  of  a  charm- 
ing lake.  It  was  here  that  the  khan  found  the 
smaller  game  which  it  pleased  him  to  hunt  when 
he  had  got  tired  of  slaughtering  tigers  and  wild- 
goats;  for  the  woods  and  lake-side  about  Cian- 
ganor  abounded  in  pheasants,  partridges  and 
cranes.  Marco,  when  he  went  with  the  khan 
and  his  train  to  this  retreat,  was  especially  struck 
with  the  cranes  that  he  saw  there.  They  were 
far  more  beautiful  in  form  and  color  than  those 
he  had  seen  in  Europe.  Some  were  large,  and  of  a 
dense,  glossy  black ;  others  were  white,  with  their 
feathers  "  full  of  round  gold  eyes,"  like  peacocks ; 
yet  others  were  red  and  black,  and  others,  again, 
were  gray,  with  red  and  black  heads. 

Not  far  from  this  palace,  in  a  little  valley  that 
descended  toward  the  lake,  were  a  number 
of  small  houses,  where  the  khan  kept  large 
flocks  of  partridges.  When  he  went  hunting  at 
Cianganor.  he  usually  carried  falcons  and  hawks 
with  him ;  and  many  an  exciting  day  did  Marco 


THE   IMPERIAL   HUNTING   GROUNDS.  83 

spend  there  in  the  exciting  sport  of  hawking, 
Sometimes  these  royal  hawking  parties  com- 
prised an  immense  number  of  men,  carrying 
a  perfect  multitude  of  hawks  and  vultures.  On 
more  than  one  occasion,  when  Marco  attended 
the  khan,  as  many  as  ten  thousand  falconers 
went  along,  carrying  half  that  number  of  falcons. 
When  this  army  of  sportsmen  reached  the  hunt- 
ing ground  they  dispersed  themselves,  by  twos, 
over  a  wide  space.  One  of  them,  at  one  end, 
would  then  let  fly  his  falcon,  which  would  be 
watched  by  the  others  as  it  receded,  and  flew 
for  its  prey ;  and  it,  with  its  prey,  would  be 
caught  by  the  attendant  nearest  where  they  came 
in  conflict.  Each  falcon  had  a  silver  label  on  its 
feet,  on  which  was  engraved  its  name  and  that  of 
its  owner ;  and  thus,  having  done  its  work,  it  was 
duly  returned  into  the  right  hands  again. 

The  great  khan  himself  set  out  on  these  hawk- 
ing expeditions  in  splendid  array.  He  always 
went  with  four  enormous  elephants,  whose  mag- 
nificent trappings  betrayed  the  imperial  rank  of 
him  they  bore;  and  on  reaching  the  hunting 
ground,  he  had  a  square  tent,  of  gold  cloth 
and  lions'  skins,  erected  in  a  convenient  place, 


84  MARCO   POLO. 

from  an  opening  in  which  he  witnessed  and  took 
part  in  the  sport.  When  the  game  was  started 
up,  some  of  the  falconers,  riding  to  the  royal 
tent,  would  cry  out,  "  Sire,  the  birds  are  passing ;" 
whereon  the  khan  threw  open  the  side  of  the 
tent,  let  fly  one  of  his  favorite  hawks,  and  then, 
throwing  himself  back  upon  his  luxurious  couch, 
watched  the  plunges  and  whirlings  of  the  birds  in 
the  air,  as  the  falcon  swooped  on  its  victims. 

But  exciting  as  was  this  sport,  that  which  still 
more  fascinated  Marco  was  the  fiercer  and  more 
dangerous  hunting  that  he  witnessed  at  Shandu. 
There  the  khan  possessed  a  most  imposing 
menagerie  of  wild  beasts,  which  he  used  for  at- 
tacking the  ferocious  denizens  of  his  forests. 

Not  far  from  the  palace  was  a  long  line  of  low 
buildings  which,  when  Marco  came  to  inspect 
them,  proved  to  be  nothing  less  than  enormous 
cages.  On  peering  within  the  massive  bars,  he 
saw  a  number  of  wild  animals.  There  were  sleek 
yellow  and  black-spotted  leopards,  pacing  steathily 
and  watchfully  up  and  down,  and  now  and  then 
stopping  and  showing  their  sharp  teeth ;  there 
were  cunning  looking  lynxes,  with  their  keen, 
restless  eyes;  and  in  some  of  the  cages  we: 


THE  IMPERIAL  HUNTING  GROUNDS.  8$ 

animals,  the  like  of  which  Marco  had  never  be- 
fore  seen.  At  first  he  took  them  for  lions.  He 
had  never  seen  a  live  lion,  it  is  true,  but  he  had 
seen  the  bronze  effigies  of  the  lions  of  St.  Marc, 
which  stood  near  the  big  cathedral  at  home,  and 
these  animals  appeared  to  resemble  them.  They 
were  not,  however,  lions,  but  tigers ;  a  beast  not 
then  known  in  Europe.  Marco  gazed  with  in- 
terest, not  unmixed  with  terror,  upon  these 
ferocious  creatures,  with  their  smooth  striped  skins 
and  their  savage  faces,  with  which  he  afterward 
became  familiar  in  the  hunting  field.  In  other 
cages  were  stately  eagles,  sitting  solemn  and 
still  on  their  perches,  and  glaring  steadily  at  their 
visitor ;  and  in  kennels  near  the  cages  were  many 
varieties  of  hunting  dogs.  Marco  was  soon  to 
learn  that  the  khan  took  the  tigers  out  hunting 
with  him  and  set  them  upon  stags,  wild  oxen, 
wild  boars  and  wild  goats ;  and  that  the  eagles 
were  used  to  hunt  animals  as  large  as  foxes, 
and  even  wolves.  A  fight  between  an  eagle 
and  a  wolf  was  one  which  aroused  him  to  the 
most  intense  excitement.  It  was  with  great  in- 
terest that,  one  day,  he  saw  the  khan  mounted 
and  going  to  the  hunt,  with  a  sleek  little  leopard 


86  MARCO  POLO. 

squatted  on  the  crupper  of  his  horse,  apparently 
as  tame  and  contented  as  possible.  This  leopard 
the  khan  employed  to  run  down  and  kill  stags  and 
wild  deer. 

Nothing  surprised  Marco  more  than  the  great 
fstablishment  of  dogs  kept  by  the  khan.  Two  of 
his  nobles,  who  were  brothers,  were  the  keepers  of 
the  dogs  ;  and  under  them  were  no  less  than  ten 
thousand  men,  who  took  the  dogs  to  the  hunt. 
These  jtiefl  were  divided  into  two  corps,  one  of 
whom  wore  yellow  costumes,  and  the  other,  blue; 
and  it  was  a  grand  sight  to  see  this  numerous 
and  brilliant  company  set  out,  on  a  sunny  morn- 
ing, with  thousands  of  hounds  and  mastiffs, 
growling  and  barking,  leaping  about,  and  when 
let  loose,  running  with  the  greatest  speed,  while 
the  trumpets  sounded  the  calls,  and  the  Tartar 
monarch,  mounted  on  his  elephant,  advanced  in 
the  midst. 

Besides  his  hunters,  the  khan  had  many  pet 
dogs  of  every  breed,  shape,  size  and  color  that 
Asia  afforded.  Some  of  them  had  been  brought 
from  the  far  north,  from  the  bleak  regions  of  Si- 
beria ;  and  a  few  of  them  were  European  dogs, 
such  as  Marco  was  Already  familiar  with.  These 


THE   IMPERIAL   HUNTING   GROUNDS.  8/ 

dogs  were  highly  trained,  and  the  khan  and  his 
court  were  often  wont  to  spend  long  summer  af- 
ternoons lolling  on  couches,  or  stretched  upon 
the  lawn,  watching  their  funny  antics. 

Sometimes,  when  the  khan  went  a  considerable 
distance  from  his  palace  in  pursuit  of  the  pleas- 
ures of  which  he  was  fond,  a  large  number  of  tents 
was  carried  by  his  numerous  attendants ;  and  on 
reaching  a  favorable  spot,  the  tents  were  pitched 
by  some  brawling  river,  or  on  a  shaded  plain,  and 
thus  a  canvas  city  suddenly  made  its  appearance. 
This  "  camping-out"  of  the  Tartar  court  was  on  a 
most  elaborate  scale.  For  the  higher  nobles  an 
enormous  tent  was  spread,  in  which  a  thousand 
men  were  lodged.  The  khan  himself  had  a  gor- 
geous pavilion,  sustained  by  columns  of  cedar 
and  other  perfumed  wood,  and  garnished,  inside 
and  out,  by  a  profusion  of  lions'  and  tigers'  skins. 
At  the  sides  hung  ermine  and  zibelline  skins  of 
vast  value,  elaborately  worked  with  great  art  and 
skill.  This  royal  tent,  too,  was  supplied  with 
gilded  and  painted  furniture  of  the  most  gaudy 
description.  Divans  with  huge  silk-covered  cush- 
ions, beds  into  which  one  sank  almost  out  of  sight, 
lounges  and  chairs  of  downy  softness,  hangings  of 


88  MARCO  POLO. 

the  heaviest  texture  and  most  brilliant  colors, 
enabled  the  khan  to  live  in  as  luxurious  comfort 
in  his  pleasure  camp  as  at  his  palace. 

Around  the  royal  tent  were  other  smaller  tents, 
only  less  splendid  than  itself.  Some  of  these 
were  occupied  by  his  ladies,  others  by  his  astron- 
omers, doctors  and  chief  hunters,  and  still  others 
by  his  dogs  and  falcons.  A  strong  guard  was  posted 
night  and  day  near  the  royal  tent ;  and  in  it,  every 
night,  were  held  feasts  in  which  every  delicacy  of 
dish  or  fruit  was  partaken  of,  no  matter  how  dis- 
tant the  camp  might  be  from  the  nearest  city. 

All  this  was  so  new  and  strange  to  Marco,  that 
for  the  first  few  months  of  his  stay  with  the  khan 
he  did  nothing  but  gaze  and  wonder.  He  seemed 
to  be  in  a  new  world ;  to  have  been  transported 
from  our  globe  to  some  distant  planet,  where 
every  scene  and  custom  were  wholly  unfamiliar. 
The  khan,  pleased  with  his  appearance  at  first, 
liked  Marco  more  and  more  as  he  came  to  know 
him  better.  He  indulged  the  young  Venetian  in 
many  privileges  from  which  even  his  own  nobles 
were  excluded  ;  learned  from  him  to  speak  Italian 
pretty  well ;  and  always  insisted  on  his  going  with 
the  royal  party  on  its  expeditions.  Marco  might 


THE  IMPERIAL  HUNTING  GROUNDS.  89 

roam  in  the  palace  or  through  the  hunting  grounds 
as  he  pleased  ;  the  best  that  the  palace  afforded 
was  set  before  him  when  he  dined  or  supped  ;  and 
when  he  went  abroad,  he  could,  if  he  chose,  call 
a  guard  to  attend  and  protect  him. 

Sometimes  Marco,  as  well  as  his  father  and 
uncle,  was  admitted  to  the  royal  table  itself.  The 
first  time  that  he  enjoyed  this  privilege,  he  saw  a 
sight  which  deeply  impressed  him,  and  at  first 
completely  deceived  him.  No  sooner  were  the 
khan  and  his  company  fairly  seated,  than  the 
magicians  (who  were  solemn  looking  men,  with 
long  beards  and  long  black  robes)  rose  and  waved 
their  wands ;  whereupon  the  cups  of  wine  and 
milk,  intended  for  the  khan,  and  which  were  on  a 
table  apart,  moved  as  of  themselves,  and  placed 
themselves  before  the  monarch.  Marco  found 
that  the  Tartars,  and  even  the  khan  himself,  be- 
lieved  that  this  was  done  by  real  magic ;  but  he 
soon  suspected  that  the  cups  were  moved  by 
mechanical  contrivances,  secretly  arranged  by  the 
magicians  themselves. 

The  magicians  of  the  court,  indeed,  greatly  in- 
terested Marco.  They  often  dressed  in  more 
splendid  costumes  than  the  nobles  themselves ; 


9O  MARCO   POLO. 

and  they  were  not  only  magicians,  but  priests. 
The  religious  festivals  of  the  Tartars  were  held 
very  frequently,  and  were  attended  by  much 
pomp  and  ceremony.  Fireworks,  such  as  Masco 
had  never  imagined,  were  let  off  at  night ;  and 
troops  of  women  filled  the  air  with  strange,  wild 
songs.  The  khan  was  always  very  anxious  that 
all  due  respect  should  be  paid  to  his  idols  on 
their  feast  days ;  for  the  magicians  threatened 
him  with  all  sorts  of  misfortunes,  as  a  result  of 
his  neglect  to  celebrate  these  occasion  and  of 
the  wrath  of  the  idols  thereat. 

Besides  the  magicians,  there  was  a  vast  number 
of  monks  in  the  vicinity  of  the  imperial  hunting 
grounds,  whose  monasteries  crowned  the  hills  and 
crags  in  every  vicinity.  Some  of  these  monks 
were  married,  and  lived  with  their  families  in  little 
huts  near  the  monasteries  ;  but  most  of  them,  like 
the  European  monks,  remained  unmarried.  They 
ate  nothing  but  the  boiled  husks  of  corn,  shaved 
their  heads  and  beards,  wore  a  very  coarse  attire, 
and  slept  either  on  rude  mats  or  on  the  bare 
ground.  Marco  was  surprised  to  find  an  order  of 
men,  in  distant  Cathay,  so  nearly  resembling  the 
monks  of  his  own  country 


THE   IMPERIAL  HUNTING  GROUNDS.  9! 

Marco's  first  summer  in  Cathay,  amid  all  these 
scenes  and  excitements,  passed  very  rapidly.  The 
month  of  August  was  fast  drawing  to  an  end ;  and 
from  what  he  observed  of  the  movements  around 
him,  it  was  evident  that  the  Tartar  court  would 
soon  leave  Shandu,  and  proceed  to  the  khan's 
southern  capital.  He  soon  received  confirmation 
of  this  conjecture  ;  for,  one  day,  the  magicians  an- 
nounced to  the  khan  that  the  28th  of  August 
was  near,  and  reminded  him  that  he  must  be 
at  Kambalu,  his  capital,  on  that  day,  "  to  sprinkle 
the  milk  of  the  sacred  mares." 

On  asking  a  young  Tartar  noble,  who  had  been 
very  friendly  to  him,  and  of  whom  he  had  made 
quite  an  intimate  companion,  what  this  meant, 
the  former  replied : 

"  There  is,  in  the  south,  a  race  of  sacred  mares 
which  are  as  white  as  the  driven  snow.  Their 
milk  is  also  sacred,  and  must  not  be  drunk  by 
any  one  who  is  not  of  imperial  blood.  It  is  said 
to  preserve  life  and  to  impart  wisdom.  Well,  on 
the  28th  of  August  the  great  khan  takes  a  large 
quantity  of  this  milk,  and  sprinkles  it  in  the  air, 
in  every  direction.  By  his  so  doing  the  spirits 
are  able  to  drink  in  abundance  of  the, sacred  bev- 


93  MARCO  POLO. 

erage ;  and  in  their  gratitude  to  the  khan,  they 
protect  him  and  all  things  that  are  dear  to  him." 

No  sooner  had  the  magicians  announced  the 
approach  of  the  time  to  sprinkle  the  sacred 
milk,  than  the  khan  gave  orders  to  his  court  to 
prepare  for  their  return  to  Kambalu.  All  be- 
came bustle  and  confusion  in  the  palace  and  its 
neighborhood.  It  was  no  small  task  to  get  ready 
for  a  journey  of  several  hundred  miles,  and  to 
provide,  during  its  progress,  for  the  luxurious 
travelling  of  the  monarch  and  his  vast  train  of 
nobles  and  ladies;  and  thousands  of  servants 
were  busy  night  and  day  makirg  the  necessary 
preparations.  The  khan  meanwhile  enjoyed  for 
the  last  times  the  hunting  in  his  grounds,  and 
made  the  most  of  the  brief  interval  that  remained. 

At  last  it  was  announced  that  everything  had 
been  made  ready  for  departure.  Provision  trains 
and  guards  had  started  on  ahead  to  post  them- 
selves at  convenient  distances  on  the  route ;  and 
after  a  monster  feast,  in  which  all  the  great 
people  of  the  court  took  part,  the  khan  set  out 
on  his  tour  southward. 


MAr\CO   FOLO.  93 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN. 

|T  was  a  grand  sight  to  see  the  vast  multi- 
tude of  courtiers,  soldiers,  nobles,  ladies, 
and  attendants,  as  it  crowded  the  high- 
way as  far  as  eye  could  reach,  and  spread  itself 
out  over  the  plain  beyond  Shandu. 

As  Marco  gazed  on  the  immense  procession, 
including  thousands  upon  thousands  of  swarthy 
Tartars,  attired  in  every  variety  of  gay  and  bril- 
liant costume,  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  a  great  city 
of  people  were  emptying  itself,  and  had  risen 
bodily  to  move  to  a  new  site.  On  one  side  he 
saw  a  long  train  of  large  elephants,  so  long  that 
he  could  not  see  the  end  of  it  in  the  distance ; 
each  elephant  adorned  with  heavy  embroidered 
trappings  and  lofty  palanquins,  and  some  of 
them  bearing  huge  bales  of  goods  and  provisions. 
Near  by  was  another  train,  composed  entirely  of 


94  MARCO  POLO. 

camels  and  dromedaries,  which  strode  off  in  thei* 
patient,  sober  way,  bearing  also  their  heavy 
burdens. 

Of  troops  of  horses,  some  mounted  by  the 
fierce  Tartar  cavalry,  with  their  long  moustaches, 
their  rude  helmets,  their  huge  yataghans,  and 
their  long,  limber  spears,  others  bearing  packages, 
others  dragging  heavy  wagons,  and  yet  others 
strode  by  gorgeously  dressed  nobles,  there  seemed 
to  be  no  end ;  in  the  midst  of  the  great  multi- 
tude was  the  khan's  corps  of  kennel-keepers, 
holding  dogs  in  the  leash  by  the  dozen ;  and  here 
and  there  were  to  be  seen  the  moving  cages 
containing  the  khan's  big  menagerie — his  lions 
and  tigers,  his  leopards  and  foxes,  his  eagles, 
hawks  and  falcons.  The  din  that  arose  from  this 
immense  number  of  people  was  sometimes  deaf- 
ening. The  departure  was  announced  by  much 
blowing  of  shrill  trumpets,  and  by  the  beating  of 
flat  drums;  and  from  the  midst  of  the  many 
groups  of  women,  the  ladies  and  slaves  of  the 
khan  and  his  principal  courtiers,  proceeded  the 
wierd  songs  of  Cathay,  which  had  so  startled 
Marco  when  he  first  reached  the  khan's  hunting 
grounds. 


THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN.  <)* 

He  wondered  very  much  how  it  was  that  tht 
officers  kept  so  innumerable  a  host  in  anything 
like  good  order ;  for  he  observed  that,  in  spite  of 
the  apparent  confusion,  the  vast  caravanserai 
advanced  in  regular  sections,  each  body  of  men 
and  women  keeping  the  place  in  the  procession 
in  which  it  had  set  out. 

In  the  very  midst  of  his  subjects,  went,  in  mag- 
nificent state,  Kublai  Khan  himself.  He  was 
perched  on  the  back  of  an  enormous  white  ele- 
phant, down  whose  huge  leathery  sides  hung  dra- 
peries  of  cloth  of  gold  and  silver,  worked  with  the 
symbols  of  the  Buddhist  faith  in  many  dazzling 
colors.  Above  these  draperies  appeared  a  splen- 
did pavilion,  supported  by  slender  and  beautifully 
carved  pillars  of  sandal-wood  and  other  aromatic 
woods.  It  was  curtained  in  the  richest  silk ;  above 
it  rose  a  little  dome,  plated  with  silver,  and  sur- 
mounted by  many  brilliant  plumes,  that  waved 
and  nodded  high  in  the  air. 

Within  the  pavilion  was  a  throne  which  was  one 
blaze  of  burnished  gold,  and  which  was  supplied 
with  a  large  soft  cushion,  as  large  and  soft  as  a 
feather  bed.  Its  arms  were  carved  tiger's  heads, 
the  eyes  of  the  tigers  being  immense  emeralds ; 


96  MARCO  POLO. 

and  upon  this  throne  sat,  or  rather  reclined,  the 
mighty  monarch  of  Cathay.  It  was  a  fine  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  this  famous  warrior  and  king. 
Of  middle  height  and  build,  Kublai  Khan's  dark 
complexion  was  yet  clear  and  creamy,  and  on  his 
cheeks  a  faint  flush  lent  a  rich  color  to  his  ex- 
pressive features.  His  form  was  perfect  in  its 
proportions ;  he  seemed  to  have  been  cast  in  the 
finest  mould  of  men.  He  was  at  once  lithe  and 
athletic ;  strong  of  muscle,  quick  and  nervous  in 
motion. 

His  large,  dark  eyes  shone  at  once  with  energy 
and  kindliness ;  his  nose,  not  large  and  thick  as 
were  those  of  most  of  his  countrymen,  was  straight 
and  bold.  His  lips  were  thick  and  sensuous,  but 
beautifully  outlined,  and  full  of  expression.  A 
short,  shiny  black  beard,  just  tinged  with  gray, 
depended  from  his  round  chin,  and  a  narrow 
black  moustache  adorned  his  upper  lip.  In  his 
ears  hung  long  ear-rings  of  tear-shaped  pearls,  and 
his  robe  and  turban  were  of  the  heaviest  and  glos- 
siest silk. 

On  a  cushion,  on  one  side  of  the  khan,  reposed 
a  beautiful  young  girl,  one  of  the  most  recent  and 
well  beloved  of  his  many  wives;  while  on  the 


THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN.       9? 

other  side  of  the  throne,  and  chained  to  its  leg, 
sat  a  small  but  handsomely  spotted  leopard,  the 
khan's  favorite  pet. 

All  around  the  elephant  that  bore  the  khan, 
were  other  elephants,  which  carried  his  wives  and 
principal  courtiers,  who  were  being  constantly 
fanned  by  their  dusky  slaves  with  fans  made  of 
peacock's  feathers,  and  fastened  to  long  poles  that 
reached  from  the  ground  to  the  palanquins  on  the 
elephant's  backs. 

The  journey  from  the  imperial  hunting  grounds 
to  Kambalu,  the  capital  of  Cathay,  occupied 
several  weeks;  for  the  two  places  were  some 
hundreds  of  miles  apart.  The  khan  and  his  cara- 
vanserai went  leisurely,  for  there  was  ample  time 
before  them.  They  halted  three  or  four  times 
each  day,  and  timed  their  progress  so  as  to  reach 
some  large  town  at  night-fall.  No  sooner  did 
they  reach  a  town,  than  they  found  every  prepara- 
tion made  to  receive  them.  Vast  tents  were  spread, 
luxurious  feasts  loaded  down  long  tables  within 
some  of  them,  while  in  others  beds  were  arranged 
for  the  repose  of  all.  The  journey  thus  seemed 
no  hardship  at  all,  but  a  delightful  excursion.  The 
country  through  which  Marco  passed  was,  for  the 


98  MARCO  POLO. 

most  part,  beautiful.  Sometimes  the  caravanserai 
passed  across  tedious  deserts  and  plains,  or  rank 
and  dangerous  jungles ;  but  they  usually  found 
themselves  winding  through  lovely  valleys,  with 
a  rich  vegetation  all  about  them,  and  wide  spread- 
ing trees  that  afforded  a  delicious  shade  from  the 
sun's  rays. 

As  they  approached  Kambalu,  one  bright  after- 
noon, the  whole  population  of  the  capital  seemed 
to  empty  itself  out  to  receive  them.  There  was 
a  commingling  of  two  vast  multitudes.  Relatives 
and  friends  greeted  each  other  with  the  wildest 
demonstrations  of  delight ;  and  as  the  khan  passed 
by,  the  people  of  the  city  prostrated  themselves, 
all  along  the  road,  in  his  august  presence. 

Nothing,  thought  Marco,  could  exceed  the  gran- 
deur of  the  palace  in  which,  by  the  invitation  of 
the  khan,  he  now  took  up  his  quarters.  That  at 
Shandu  had  amazed  him ;  but  it  seemed  insignifi- 
cant indeed,  when  he  compared  it  with  this  noble 
edifice,  which  was  comprised  in  a  square  a  mile 
on  each  side,  and  whose  walls  rose  high  above  all 
the  surrounding  houses.  These  walls  themselves 
supported  buildings  which,  together,  composed 
a  part  of  the  imperial  abode. 


THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN.      99 

At  their  four  corners  were  spacious  towers,  in 
which  were  kept  the  bows,  arrows,  yataghans  and 
spears,  the  bridles  and  saddles,  the  helmets  and 
breastplates  which  comprised  the  khan's  imple- 
ments of  war.  Midway  between  these  were  other 
towers,  which  contained  the  enormous  stores 
needed  for  the  support  of  the  court.  In  the  vast 
space,  a  mile  square,  enclosed  within  the  walls, 
were  several  groups  of  spacious  buildings,  some 
used  for  the  wardrobes,  others  for  the  plate  and 
other  movable  articles;  while  in  the  midst  of 
these  stood  the  imperial  palace  itself,  its  roof 
rising  high  above  the  rest. 

Marco  found  this  palace,  in  its  general  appear- 
ance, not  unlike  that  at  Shandu  ;  but  far  larger  in 
the  size  of  its  apartments,  and  far  more  magnifi- 
cent in  its  decorations.  The  hall  was  reached  by 
a  broad  flight  of  porphyry  steps ;  and  this  room 
was  so  long,  that  it  held  six  thousand  persons  at 
its  banquet  table.  Its  walls  were  fairly  crusted 
with  gold  and  silver;  and  on  them  were  emblaz- 
oned enormous  figures  of  dragons,  horses,  dol- 
phins, tigers,  suns  and  full  moons. 

The  apartments  within  this  palace  seemed  to 
Marco  fairly  innumerable,  and  all  the  chambers 


IOO  MARCO  POLO. 

were  as  gorgeously  decorated  as  was  the  hall  it. 
self.  The  roof  especially  attracted  his  attention ; 
for  it  was  painted  red,  blue,  and  green,  and  so 
thickly  varnished  that  it  glistened  in  the  sun. 
Quadrangle  after  quadrangle  succeeded  each 
other,  in  the  centre  of  which  spurted  fountains, 
stood  basins  full  of  fish,  and  grew  trees  of  rarest 
bloom  and  verdure. 

All  the  surroundings  of  the  palace  were  fairly 
delicious.  Marco  found  a  large  artificial  lake  a 
few  rods  away,  upon  which  barges  so  painted  and 
gilded  as  fairly  to  dazzle  him,  gayly  floated.  This 
lake  was  alive  with  the  greatest  variety  of  fish, 
which  daily  supplied  the  khan's  table.  Near  the 
lake  rose  an  artificial  hill,  perhaps  forty  feet  high, 
even  on  every  side,  which  the  khan  had  had  planted 
completely  over  with  evergreens  that  preserved 
their  soft  and  genial  color  the  year  round.  This 
was  called  "  the  green  mountain,"  and  on  its  sum- 
mit was  the  prettiest  pavilion  imaginable,  whence 
a  view  of  all  the  surrounding  country  might  be 
enjoyed.  It  was  one  of  the  khan's  pet  hobbies  to 
cover  this  eminence  with  the  rarest  trees,  which  he 
caused  to  be  brought  thither  from  the  remotest 
parts  of  Tartary  and  planted. 


THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN      IOI 

"  How  my  brother  Maffeo  and  my  uncle  Marco 
would  wonder  to  see  all  this  splendor!"  mused 
Marco.  "  When  I  get  home,  and  tell  them  about 
it,  they  will  not  believe  me." 

The  palace  stood  on  the  banks  of  a  river ;  and 
it  was  on  the  other  bank  of  this  river  that  the  city 
of  Kambalu  (which  means,  "  city  of  the  khan") 
stood.  It  was,  Marco  saw,  a  large  city,  some 
twenty-four  miles  ar'ound,  and  built  regularly  in 
squares ;  and  it  stood  on  or  near  the  site  which 
the  great  Chinese  city  of  Pekin  now  occupies.  It 
was  entirely  surrounded  by  a  thick  and  lofty 
earthen  wall,  through  which,  on  the  several  sides, 
twelve  gates  gave  admission  to  the  streets. 

On  either  side  of  these  gates  were  square  towers, 
which  were  always  filled  with  heavily-armed  troops. 
The  streets  were  really  broad,  straight  avenues, 
and  were  lined  with  wide-spreading  trees;  and 
along  them  were  to  be  seen  many  fine  palaces  and 
temples.  Marco  saw  a  very  high  building  in  the 
very  centre  of  the  city,  on  which  was  a  steeple 
containing  a  large  bell.  This  bell,  he  learned,  was 
rung  at  nightfall  three  times ;  this  was  a  signal  that 
the  great  gates  were  closed,  and  that  no  one  could 
enter  or  go  out  of  the  city  until  the  next  day. 


\O2  MARCO  POLO. 

Kambalu  was  a  very  busy  place.  It  was  full 
of  rich  merchants,  who  drove  a  thriving  trade,  and 
Its  bazaars  were  every  day  crowded  with  eager 
traders  dealing  in  every  imaginable  kind  of  wares. 
From  India  came  to  the  bazaar  stalls  precious 
stones  and  rich  fabrics,  and  from  the  Austral- 
asian islands  delicious  spices  and  fruits  ;  while 
Cathay  itself  supplied  them  with  an  abundance  of 
food  and  cloths.  The  suburbs  of  the  city 
stretched  away  over  the  hills  beyond  the  walls  as 
far  as  eye  could  reach  on  either  side,  and  Marco's 
head  ached  when  he  tried  to  guess  how  large  the 
population  of  Kambalu  and  its  vicinity  could  be. 

Marco  had  not  long  been  at  Kambalu,  before 
he  learned  that  the  khan  had  a  large  number  of 
wives.  Of  these  four  were  held  in  higher  honor 
than  the  rest,  and  were  called  "  Empresses."  Each 
of  these  empresses  was  entitled  to  take  the  khan's 
name,  and  each  had  a  separate  court  of  her  own, 
with  a  palace  all  to  herself.  Each  empress  was 
attended  by  no  less  than  ten  thousand  persons, 
among  whom  were  three  hundred  of  the  loveliest 
maidens  of  Cathay.  It  was  a  great  honor  to  be- 
long to  an  empress's  court,  and  all  the  young 
girls  of  the  country  were  anxious  to  be  chosen 


THE  COURT    OK  THE  ORB  AT  KHAN.  IO3 

among  this  band.  By  his  four  empresses,  the 
khan  had  twenty-two  sons,  and  by  his  other 
wives,  no  less  than  twenty-five  more;  and  this 
numerous  family  lived,  one  and  all,  in  the  greatest 
splendor  and  state. 

The  khan's  court,  as  Marco  had  seen  it  at 
Shandu,  was  as  nothing  compared  with  the  court 
he  held  at  Kambalu.  He  was  constantly  guarded 
by  twelve  thousand  horsemen.  After  one  body  of 
horsemen  had  served  him  three  days  and  three 
nights,  they  were  replaced  by  another  body  of 
the  same  number  ;  and  wherever  the  khan  went, 
he  was  attended  by  this  military  array. 

Marco  marvelled  at  nothing  more  than  at  the 
magnificent  feasts  which  the  khan  gave  on  the 
occasion  of  an  imperial  or  religious  festival.  The 
great  banqueting  hall  of  the  palace  served  as  the 
scene  of  these  feasts.  At  these  times,  the  monarch 
himself  sat  at  a  table  at  one  end  of  the  hall, 
raised  on  a  dais  high  above  the  rest,  facing  the 
South.  On  his  left  sat  his  favorite  wife,  and  on 
his  right,  his  sons  and  nephews.  On  a  lower 
platform  were  stationed  the  great  nobles  of  the 
state  with  their  wives,  and  lower  down  still,  on 
the  floor,  were  seated  the  lower  dignitaries  of 


IO4  MARCO  POLO. 

Kublai's  court.  In  the  very  centre  of  the  hall, 
between  the  long  rows  of  groaning  tables,  stood 
an  immense  basin  of  solid  gold,  and  on  either 
side  two  smaller  ones,  all  filled  to  overflowing 
with  the  choicest  wine ;  and  from  thence  the  at- 
tendants took  the  beverage,  in  flagons,  to  the 
feasters. 

Two  guards,  of  lofty  stature,  were  stationed  at 
each  door  of  the  banqueting  hall,  with  heavy 
staves.  These  saw  to  it  that  no  one  who  entered 
or  went  out  touched  the  threshold  ;  for  this  was 
a  serious  offence  in  a  royal  apartment. 

Marco  observed  that  those  who  waited  upon 
the  khan  and  his  family,  who  were  nobles  of  high 
degree,  had  their  mouths  closely  wrapped  up  in 
silk  and  gold  towels ;  and  soon  learned  that  this 
was  to  keep  them  from  breathing  upon  the 
dishes  destined  for  the  imperial  palate.  As  soon 
as  the  khan  raised  his  goblet  to  drink,  the 
trumpets  and  drums  made  a  great  noise  in  every 
part  of  the  hall,  and  the  nobles,  leaving  their 
chairs,  fell  all  at  once  on  their  knees  and  raised 
their  hands,  in  a  sort  of  supplicating  attitude, 
above  their  heads ;  and  this  happened  every  time 
the  khan  quaffed  his  wine. 


THE  COURT  OF  THE  GREAT  KHAN.     10$ 

While  the  feast  was  thus  going  forward  in  the 
great  hall,  multitudes  were  eating  and  drinking  to 
their  hearts'  content  in  the  smaller  apartments 
surrounding  it.  In  all,  it  was  said  that  forty 
thousand  people  feasted  at  once  within  the  palace 
walls.  Many  of  these  were  nobles  or  mer- 
chants who  came  from  distant  parts  of  the  em- 
pire, and  who  had  brought  costly  gifts  to  the 
khan. 

The  eating  and  drinking  over,  the  tables  were 
cleared  and  moved  aside,  the  vast  company 
gathered  in  a  semi-circle  on  the  floor,  a  lofty 
throne  was  placed  for  the  khan  on  the  dais,  and 
forthwith  in  came  a  host  of  dancers,  singers, 
magicians,  and  jugglers ;  who,  in  the  open  space 
below  the  monarch,  entertained  the  multitude 
with  the  exhibition  of  their  various  talents. 
Marco  was  especially  struck  with  the  jugglers, 
who  performed  seemingly  impossible  feats,  and 
tumbled  about  greatly  to  the  risk,  as  he  thought, 
of  breaking  their  necks. 

Among  the  chief  festivals  that  took  place  at 
court,  were  those  which  celebrated  the  khan's 
birthday,  and  the  incoming  of  the  new  year, 
which,  in  Cathay,  began  in  February.  On  his 


IO6  MARCO  POLO. 

birthday,  the  khan  was  wont  to  array  himself  in 
a  robe  of  beaten  gold,  and  all  his  court  wore  their 
most  gorgeous  apparel.  The  feast  was  preceded 
by  a  solemn  ceremony  in  the  principal  temple ;  and 
after  this,  presents  were  offered  to  the  khan  by  a 
multitude  of  his  subjects,  who  came  from  every 
part  of  the  country;  and  also  by  neighboring 
princes. 

A  still  more  splendid  festival  was  that,  called 
the  "  White  Feast,"  which  ushered  in  the  new  year. 
On  that  day  the  entire  population  of  the  khan's 
empire  attired  themselves  in  white,  from  head  to 
foot.  It  was  customary  on  this  occasion  also  to 
offer  gifts  to  the  monarch;  indeed,  these  occa- 
sions for  making  him  presents  came  very  often, 
and  served  to  enrich  him  beyond  calculation.  On 
New  Year's  day,  the  presents  usually  consisted  of 
gold  and  silver  ornaments,  rare  gems,  and  costly 
white  cloths,  white  horses,  camels,  and  elephants, 
these  animals  also  bearing  on  their  backs  boxes 
and  packages  of  presents,  and  being  habited  in 
the  richest  apparel. 

The  ceremony  of  receiving  these  offerings,  and 
of  celebrating  the  day,  was  a  most  imposing  one. 
The  khan  and  all  his  court  repaired  in  splendid 


THE  COURT  OP  THE  GREAT  KHAN.     IO? 

attire  to  the  great  hall  of  the  palace,  and  ranged 
themselves  in  order  of  rank  around  the  sides.  As 
soon  as  all  had  occupied  their  places,  a  high 
priest  advanced  in  the  centre  and  said,  in  a  loud 
voice,  "  Kneel  and  adore !"  whereupon  all  fell 
upon  their  knees,  struck  their  foreheads  with 
their  hands,  and  turning  to  the  khan,  rendered 
him  homage  as  if  he  were  a  god.  Then  the  crowd 
advanced  to  an  altar,  where  the  priest  poured  out 
incense  in  the  khan's  honor. 

This  ceremony  over,  the  khan,  followed  by  the 
rest,  went  out  upon  the  flight  of  steps  leading  up 
to  the  principal  portal  of  the  palace ;  and  as  he 
stood  there,  beneath  a  glittering  canopy,  fanned  by 
peacock  fans,  and  the  centre  of  a  dazzling  galaxy  of 
silk  and  jewels,  the  elephants,  camels  and  horses 
that  bore  his  innumerable  presents  passed  by  in 
slow  procession.  All  the  animals  were  taught 
to  kneel  when  they  came  opposite  the  khan ; 
and  it  took  several  hours  for  the  long  train,  bear- 
ing its  countless  treasures,  to  pass. 

After  this  the  banquet  took  place;  and  on  New 
Year's  night,  every  one  at  the  khan's  court  felt  at 
liberty  to  become  intoxicated,  and  to  indulge 
in  such  wild  capers  as  the  wine  inspired  them  to 


IO8  MARCO  POLO. 

commit.  The  wine  thus  drunk  was  seasoned  with 
rice  and  rich  spices,  and  was  very  strong. 

At  all  these  festivals  and  merry-makings,  the 
Polos  were  not  only  permitted  to  be  present,  but 
were  honored  with  places  in  the  midst  of  the 
nobles.  The  khan's  favor,  which  was  fully  and 
openly  bestowed  upon  the  Venetian  strangers, 
served  to  procure  them  the  good  will  and  friend- 
ship of  his  courtiers. 

All  this  while  Marco  was  learning  what  seemed 
to  him  the  endless  language  of  Cathay.  He 
found  it  a  great  deal  harder  than  French,  which 
he  had  studied  as  a  boy  at  home ;  but  in  due 
time  he  found  that  he  could  converse  quite  easily 
with  his  Tartar  companions,  and  heard  every  day 
something  new  and  strange  about  the  land  in 
which  he  was  sojourning. 


POLO. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS. 

1EFORE  Marco  had  lived  in  the  khan's 
palace  a  year,  he  had  become  quite  used 
to  his  novel  surroundings ;  and  felt  as  much 
at  home  as  he  could  anywhere  outside  of  his  native 
Italy.  As  soon  as  he  learned  the  language  so  as 
to  talk  readily,  he  learned  a  great  deal  that  was 
very  curious  about  Cathay.  He  was  never  tired 
of  asking  questions,  and  he  found  many  learned 
men  about  the  court  who  were  very  willing  to 
satisfy  his  curiosity. 

He  had  now  thrown  aside  his  Venetian  attire, 
and,  like  his  father  and  uncle,  wore  the  costume 
which  was  imposed  upon  him  by  Tartar  custom  ; 
and  very  oddly  he  looked,  in  loose  tunic,  small 
turban,  and  turned-up  shoes,  his  complexion  being 
:nany  shades  lighter  than  that  of  the  dusky  faces 

1  him.     He  had  adopted,  also,  the  Tartar 


£IO  MARCO  POT.O. 

ways  of  living;  and  instead  of  keeping  himscff 
apart,  made  himself  one  among  the  courtiers. 

The  more  he  saw  of  Kublai  Khan,  and  the  more 
he  learned  of  his  method  of  governing  his  vast 
empire,  the  more  ardently  did  he  admire  that  ener- 
getic and  kindly  monarch.  He  observed  that 
whenever  there  was  a  great  storm,  or  flood,  or 
other  calamity,  the  khan  sent  messengers  into  the 
districts  where  it  had  occurred,  to  find  out  if  the 
crops  had  been  destroyed ;  and  if  they  had  been, 
the  khan  not  only  relieved  the  sufferers  of  their 
taxes  for  the  year,  but  distributed  food  among 
them  out  of  his  own  abundant  stores. 

The  khan,  in  times  of  plenty,  always  caused 
his  store-houses  to  be  filled  full  of  grain ;  and 
when  a  period  of  scarcity  occurred,  he  ordered  this 
grain  to  be  sold  to  the  commonfolk  at  a  third  or 
a  fourth  of  its  cost.  The  poor  people  of  Kambalu 
were  constantly  fed  from  the  'khan's  generous 
bounty ;  even  the  humblest  beggar  was  not  turned 
away  empty  from  the  palace  doors.  Not  only 
did  the  khan  thus  provide  the  hungry  with  food, 
but  the  ragged  with  clothing.  Of  the  silk,  hemp, 
and  wool  which  he  collected  as  a  part  of  the  trib- 
utes due  him,  he  caused  cloths  to  be  made  in  a 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS.     If* 

building  within  the  palace  walls ;  and  these  cloths 
were  turned  into  comfortable  garments,  and  given 
freely  to  those  who  stood  in  need  of  them.  The 
good  monarch  also  took  care  that  there  should  be 
spacious  highways  leading  from  every  part  of  his 
dominions  to  the  capital.  Nor  was  he  content 
with  merely  constructing  these  roads ;  he  caused 
them  to  be  planted,  on  either  side,  with  tall  trees, 
which  served  at  once  to  afford  the  tired  traveller 
a  grateful  shade  on  his  way,  and  to  guide  him 
aright  to  his  destination.  When  the  soil  was  such 
that  trees  could  not  be  planted,  the  khan  caused 
mile-stones  to  be  erected  at  convenient  intervals. 
On  these  highroads,  at  distances  of  five-and-twenty 
miles,  were  stationed  a  kind  of  post  houses,  to 
serve  as  resting-places  both  for  the  khan's  mes- 
sengers, and  for  travellers.  These  houses  were 
often  spacious  and  luxuriously  furnished,  and 
many  horses  were  kept  in  the  stables,  so  as  to  be 
ready  for  use  at  any  moment. 

The  khan,  indeed,  had  no  need  to  fear  that  his 
treasure  would  ever  become  exhausted  ;  for  he  had 
the  power,  and  freely  used  it,  to  manufacture  as 
much  money  as  he  chose.  This  he  did  with  the 
rind  beneath  the  bark  of  a  certain  tree.  This  was 


112  MARCO  POLO. 

cut  up  into  small  strips,  and  stamped  with  the  royal 
seal ;  and  thus  the  khan  had  an  ample  supply  of 
funds.  This  was,  perhaps,  the  earliest  known  em- 
ployment of  paper  money.  It  surprised  Marco 
very  much  to  see  the  Tartars  burning  lumps  of 
"  blackstone,"  instead  of  wood,  in  their  fire-places ; 
for  he  had  never  seen  or  heard  of  coal  in  Europe. 
Nothing  about  the  court  was  more  interesting 
to  Marco  than  the  many  astrologers  and  magicians 
whom  he  saw  there,  and  who  were  held  in  high 
honor  by  the  khan  and  all  his  courtiers.  These 
grave  men,  who  always  wore  very  long  beards  and 
had  wise,  solemn  countenances,  were  supported  at 
the  khan's  expense,  and  were  constantly  engaged 
in  the  exercise  of  their  mysterious  arts.  They 
studied  the  stars,  and  had  many  curious  instru- 
ments for  this  purpose ;  and  from  the  positions 
and  course  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  they  foretold 
the  weather  and  many  other  events.  When  they 
made  their  prophecies,  these  were  written  down 
on  small  tablets,  and  sold  to  all  who  wished  to 
peer  into  the  future.  When  a  noble  courtier  was 
going  to  a  distance,  and  desired  to  know  whether 
he  would  be  overtaken  by  storms,  or  would  suc- 
ceed in  the  object  of  his  journey,  he  went  to  an 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS.  113 

astrologer  to  be  informed,  and  paid  him  roundly 
for  his  service. 

Marco  often  attended  the  religious  rites  in 
the  temples,  and  noted  with  curiosity  the  re- 
ligious customs  of  the  people.  Each  Tartar 
had,  he  observed,  a  small  tablet  fixed  in  the 
wall  of  one  of  his  rooms,  with  the  name  of 
Buddha  engraved  upon  it  in  large  letters.  To 
this  tablet  he  and  his  family  prayed  every  morn- 
ing. They  prostrated  themselves  on  the  ground, 
raised  their  hands,  frantically  beat  their  foreheads, 
and  then  burned  incense  in  honor  of  their  god. 
On  the  floor  below  the  tablet,  stood  a  small  statue 
of  an  inferior  god,  who  was  supposed  to  have  a 
care  of  the  earthly  affairs  of  Buddha's  worshippers, 
and  to  whom  prayers  were  offered  for  good 
weather,  full  crops,  and  health.  The  Tartars 
believed  that  as  soon  as  a  man  died,  his  soul 
inhabited  a  new  body ;  that  a  poor  man  who  had 
been  good  during  this  life,  would  be  re-born  a 
gentleman,  or  perhaps  a  noble ;  but  that  on  the 
other  hand  a  man  of  rank  who  had  been  wicked 
would,  after  death,  become  a  peasant,  and  after- 
wards a  dog  or  a  wolf. 

The  more  Marco  saw  of  the  Tartars  the  more 


114  MARCO  POLO. 

he  respected  and  liked  them.  He  was  pleased 
with  their  polite  and  gentle  manners;  he  was 
attracted  by  their  agreeable,  smiling  faces;  he 
noticed  with  what  cleanliness  and  care  they  ate ; 
and  he  observed  that  children  invariably  treated 
their  parents  with  reverence  and  humility,  and 
that  the  punishment  of  a  child  who  rebelled 
against  parental  authority  was  very  severe. 

The  khan  was  treated  by  his  subjects  with  a 
respect  and  awe  which  passed  the  bounds  of 
servility.  When  any  one  came  within  half  a  mile 
of  where  the  khan  was,  he  at  once  assumed  a 
very  sober  face,  advanced  slowly  and  softly,  and 
talked  in  a  subdued  voice ;  and  on  reaching  the 
portal  of  the  palace,  proceeded  to  produce  from  a 
pocket  a  pair  of  soft  leather  buskins,  with  which 
he  replaced  his  shoes.  On  entering  the  royal 
presence,  he  fell  upon  the  carpet,  and  did  not  lift 
his  head  until  he  had  received  the  khan's  permis- 
sion to  do  so. 

But  the  time  was  soon  to  come  when  Marco 
must  abandon  the  idle  and  luxurious  life  he  had 
so  long  led,  and  to  engage  in  active  and  perilous 
service  for  the  khan.  Everything  about  the  court 
and  city  had  amused  and  interested  him,  and  the 


MARCO  POLO   AMONG  THE  TARTARS.          11$ 

days  had  passed  quickly  amid  so  many  strange 
scenes  and  so  many  brilliant  shows  and  attrac- 
tions. He  could  scarcely  believe  in  the  rapid 
passage  of  time ;  and  he  almost  forgot  that  his 
presence  in  Cathay  was  for  more  serious  purposes 
than  to  saunter  and  dream  among  those  beauti- 
ful and  bewildering  surroundings.  Yet,  when  the 
moment  arrived  for  him  to  arouse  himself,  to 
enter  upon  active  pursuits,  and  do  something  to 
show  his  gratitude  for  all  the  khan's  generosity, 
hospitality  and  kindness,  he  was  by  no  means 
sorry;  for  Marco  had  an  adventurous  disposition, 
and  was  happiest  when  engaged  in  some  stirring 
task. 

One  afternoon,  when  he  was  lolling  in  his 
apartment,  an  attendant  entered  and  summoned 
Marco  into  the  khan's  presence.  Kublai  was  re- 
posing by  a  fountain  in  one  of  the  shady  court- 
yards of  the  palace.  Dark-visaged  slaves  were 
fanning  him  with  peacock  fans,  as  the  monarch 
reclined  on  soft  pillows,  and  quaffed,  every  now 
and  then,  a  cooling  beverage  from  a  golden 
goblet.  By  his  side  lay,  in  languid  attitude,  two 
of  his  beautiful  young  wives,  attired  in  light  but 
exceedingly  rich  costumes,  their  ears,  necks  and 


II<5  MARCO  POLO. 

arms  sparkling  with  many  gems.  Around  the 
khan  stood  a  group  of  courtiers  and  attendants ; 
while  in  the  corners  of  the  courtyard,  gigantic 
and  fierce-featured  guards  watched  over  his  safety. 

Marco  approached  and  made  the  usual  humble 
obeisance  to  the  monarch.  Kublai,  raising  him- 
self on  his  elbow,  motioned  to  Marco  to  come 
nearer  and  stand  by  him ;  for  he  said  he  had 
something  to  say  to  him. 

"  Venetian,"  began  Kublai,  "  I  have  made  you 
very  welcome  at  my  court,  and  have  found 
pleasure  in  your  presence.  Your  countenance 
was  agreeable  to  my  eyes  when  I  first  saw  you ; 
and  since,  your  conduct  has  been  such  as  to  win 
my  confidence  and  esteem.  I  trust  you,  and  be- 
lieve  that  you  are  devoted  to  me.  Is  it  not  so  ?" 

Marco  replied  that  he  longed  for  an  occasion 
to  show  the  khan  how  grateful  he  was  for  all  that 
the  khan  had  done  for  him. 

"  Such  an  occasion  has  now  arisen,"  continued 
the  khan.  "  There  is  grave  business  to  be  done 
in  my  western  and  southern  provinces.  They  are 
disturbed,  and  the  people  do  not  understand  my 
fatherly  care  over  them.  I  must  send  thither  some 
one  who  will  reason  with  them,  and  explain  my 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS. 

proceedings ;  who  will  persuade  them  to  be  sub- 
missive, and  assure  them  that  they  may  be  certain 
of  justice  and  protection.  This  task,  Venetian, 
I  have  marked  out  for  you." 

"Nothing,"  declared  Marco,  "  would  please  me 
better  than  to  undertake  it.  I  thank  your  majesty 
for  the  confidence  you  thus  repose  in  me." 

"Your  journey  will  be  long,  and  it  may  be 
perilous.  My  subjects  in  those  distant  portions 
of  my  empire  are  not  easily  governed.  Some- 
times they  break  out  into  rebellion.  Besides,  the 
mountains  are  full  of  robbers,  who  dare  to  attack 
even  my  royal  messengers.  But  you  are  a  brave 
and  active  youth,  and  danger  has  no  terrors  for 
you.  You  shall  go  well  guarded  ;  I  shall  give 
orders  that  you  are  attended  as  the  chosen  envoy 
of  the  great  khan  should  be." 

Marco  was  far  from  dismayed  by  the  prospect 
before  him.  Now  that  it  was  decided  upon,  he 
became  impatient  to  enter  on  his  travels,  and  en- 
counter the  possible  perils  of  which  the  khan 
had  spoken.  His  father  was  at  first  loth  to 
have  him  go.  He  feared  lest  he  should  never 
see  his  young  son  again.  But  Nicolo  knew  that 
Kublai  Khan's  will  was  law;  and  that,  however 


£18  MARCO  POLO. 

kind  he  might  be  on  ordinary  occasions,  he  was 
very  resolute  that  his  will,  when  expressed, 
should  be  obeyed  at  once,  and  without  a  mur- 
mur. 

In  no  long  time  the  preparations  for  Marco's 
setting  out  were  complete.  He  was  to  be  at- 
tended by  a  considerable  guard  of  soldiers, 
armed  to  the  teeth ;  and  also  by  a  large  train  of 
attendants,  as  an  indication  of  his  rank  and  his 
position  near  the  khan. 

The  day  of  departure  came ;  and  Marco,  arrayed 
in  Tartar  costume,  his  belt  well  armed  with  sword 
and  daggers,  and  his  horse  fresh  and  sleek  from  the 
royal  stables,  bade  the  khan  adieu  in  the  midst 
of  his  court.  He  received  his  last  instructions 
from  one  of  the  principal  ministers,  and  then 
retired  to  his  father's  apartment  to  embrace 
Nicolo  and  Maffeo  for  the  last  time.  This  touch- 
ing interview  over,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and 
accompanied  by  his  guard  and  attendants,  emerged 
from  the  palace  gate,  crossed  the  river,  and 
wended  his  way  leisurely  through  the  spacious 
avenues  of  Kambalu. 

Soon  the  open  country  beyond  the  suburbs  was 
reached,  and  now  Marco  pushed  forward  more 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS. 

rapidly.  When  he  had  gone  about  ten  miles  he 
came  to  a  river,  much  wider  and  more  rapid  than 
that  which  flowed  beneath  the  palace  wall.  On 
approaching  the  banks,  he  espied  before  him  the 
finest  bridge  he  had  ever  seen.  It  was  built  of 
stone,  and  had  four-and-twenty  arches  supported 
by  massive  piers  imbedded  in  the  stream.  At 
one  end  was  a  lofty  column  of  marble,  around  the 
foot  of  which  were  several  skilfully  carved 
figures  of  lions.  As  he  rode  across  the  bridge, 
Marco  found  that  ten  horsemen  could  easily  go 
abreast  upon  it.  In  spite  of  all  that  he  had  al- 
ready seen  in  Cathay,  Marco  was  surprised  to  fin«l 
there  as  splendid  a  work  of  art  as  this  bridge  really 
was. 

Continuing  his  journey,  Marco  found  himself 
passing  through  a  rich  and  thriving  country,  the 
soil  of  which  was  fruitful,  the  landscapes  charm- 
ing, and  the  people  industrious  and  busy.  He 
reached  towns  and  villages  all  alive  with  bazaars, 
and  silk  and  linen  factories ;  he  passed  broad 
fields  of  waving  grain,  and  beneath  avenues  of 
trees  which  stretched  far  away  over  the  hills. 
On  eminences  here  and  there  he  espied  quite 
stately  castles,  guarded  by  towers  and  high  walls, 


I2O  MARCO  POLO. 

just  as  were  the  castles  he  used  to  see  about 
Venice ;  and  vineyards  crept  up  the  slopes  to 
their  foundations.  Once  in  a  while  Marco  came 
upon  very  large  cities,  teeming  with  dense  popu- 
lations, and  all  alive  with  manufacture  and  trade: 
processions  of  camels  and  carts  going  in  and  out 
the  lofty  gateways,  and  many  temples  rising 
high  above  the  mass  of  dwellings.  In  the  bazaars 
great  fairs  were  being  held ;  and  Marco  could 
not  but  remark  how  intelligent  and  shrewd  this 
race  of  Tartar  merchants  seemed.  He  seized 
every  occasion  to  talk  both  with  merchants  and 
the  native  soothsayers,  and  with  the  landlords  of 
the  inns  where  he  sojourned.  He  heard  accounts 
of  the  country  through  which  he  was  passing,  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  people,  and,  as  well, 
many  anecdotes  of  the  events  which  had  taken 
place  in  the  various  neighborhoods. 

One  afternoon  he  stopped  at  a  large  town  called 
Pianfu,  and  was  enjoying  his  ease  after  supper 
and  talking  with  one  of  the  local  gossips.  On  a 
hill  some  two  miles  distant  he  observed  a  very 
spacious  and  hoary  castle.  He  asked  his  com 
panion  what  castle  it  was. 

"  That  is  the  castle  of  Cayafu,"  was  the  reply 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS.         121 

"  and  there  is  an  interesting  story  about  a  good 
king  who  once  dwelt  there." 

Marco  was  fond  of  listening  to  the  stories  with 
which  all  Tartar  minds  seemed  stored,  and  begged 
his  companion  to  tell  that  of  Cayafu. 

"A  long  time  ago,"  said  the  native,  "the 
king  of  this  region,  whose  name  was  Dor,  had  a 
war  with  the  famous  Prester  John.  The  country 
was  invaded  by  Prester  John,  but  Dor  so  stoutly 
entrenched  himself  that  his  enemy  could  not  get 
at  him.  Prester  John  was  exceedingly  vexed, 
for  he  supposed  that  It  would  be  the  easiest 
matter  in  the  world  to  conquer  Dor;  and  did  not 
know  what  to  do.  Seven  of  his  servants,  seeing 
their  master's  anger,  went  to  him  and  told  him 
that,  if  he  chose,  they  would  bring  Dor  into  his 
tent  alive.  Prester  John  listened  to  them  incred- 
ulously, but  gave  them  permission  to  attempt 
the  feat  which  they  proposed.  They  disguised 
themselves  and  got  access  to  Dor's  camp.  Pre- 
senting themselves  before  the  king,  they  offered 
him  their  services.  Dor  received  them  with  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  gave  them  posts  imme- 
diately about  his  person.  He  soon  became  at- 
tached to  them,  and  learned  to  trust  them  conv 


122  MARCO  POLO. 

pletely.  The  traitors  watched  and  waited  for 
their  opportunity.  After  a  while,  it  came.  Dor  set 
out  one  day  on  a  short  excursion  beyond  his 
camp  ;  and  with  him  went  these  seven  men.  The 
party  crossed  a  wide  river  and  entered  a  dense 
forest.  Perceiving  that  the  king  was  now  sepa- 
rated from  the  main  body  of  his  followers,  the 
villains  fell  upon  the  few  that  remained,  stretched 
one  after  another  dead  on  the  ground,  and  rudely 
seized  their  benefactor. 

"'What  means  this,  my  children?'  exclaimed 
Dor,  amazed.  'What  would  you  do  with  me? 
How  have  I  offended  you  ?' 

"  *  We  are  going  to  take  you  to  our  master — 
Prester  John !' 

"  Dor,  on  hearing  this,  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands  and  exclaimed:  'How  have  I  been  de- 
ceived !  Why,  my  children,  have  I  not  welcomed 
and  honored  you  like  brothers  ?  And  will  you, 
like  traitors,  give  me  up  to  my  bitterest  foe  ?' 

They  said  nothing  in  reply,  but  putting  him 
bound  upon  a  horse,  hurriedly  cleared  the  forest, 
and  galloped  to  Prester  John's  camp  as  fast  as 
they  could  go.  Prester  John  was  as  surprised  as 
he  was  delighted  to  see  his  enemy  in  his  power 


MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  TARTARS.  123 

at  last.     Turning  to  him  roughly,  he  exclaimed  : 

"  '  Well,  you  are  caught  at  last.  Now  confess 
that  you  are  not  equal  to  making  war  with  me.' 

"Dor  bowed  with  humility  and  replied: 

' "  I  know  well,  sire,  that  I  am  not  as  strong  as 
you.  I  repent  of  having  taken  up  arms  against 
you,  and  in  future  I  will  act  as  your  faithful  friend.' 

"  Prester  John,  though  a  stout  warrior,  was  not 
obdurate  of  heart.  On  hearing  these  gentle  words 
fall  from  his  royal  prisoner's  lips,  he  arose  and 
embraced  him. 

"  '  Be  of  good  cheer,  brother,'  said  he ;  '  I  will 
not  humiliate  you  any  further,  but  will  give  you 
my  esteem  and  friendship.' 

"Whereupon  Prester  John  provided  Dor  with  a 
splendid  escort  of  cavalry,  and  after  having 
feasted  him  in  a  manner  worthy  of  a  king,  sent 
him  rejoicing  back  to  the  castle  of  Cayafu.  From 
that  time  Dor  and  Prester  John  were  the  best  of 
friends,  and  fought  side  by  side  in  many  a  furious 
battle  with  their  common  foes." 

Marco  was  deeply  interested  in  this  story,  and 
thought  it  sounded  very  much  like  the  stories  of 
what  sometimes  had  happened  to  European 
kings. 


124  MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MARCO  POLO'S  TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY. 

[FTER  leaving  Pianfu  Marco  travelled 
steadily  westward,  always  seeing  some- 
thing  new  and  curious  that  deeply  im- 
pressed itself  on  his  memory.  He  was  surprised 
at  the  great  size  of  many  of  the  rivers  he  crossed, 
some  of  which  far  exceeded  in  width  any  he 
had  ever  seen  in  Europe,  and  which  could  not  be 
spanned  by  bridges.  When  he  came  to  such  a 
stream,  he  and  his  train  were  transported  to  the 
further  bank  on  large  rafts  and  barges. 

He  was  especially  struck,  too,  by  the  size,  num- 
bers and  splendid  plumage  of  the  birds  which 
peopled  the  Tartar  forests,  and  the  plenteous  and 
luscious  fruit  that  grew  in  the  river  valleys. 
Sometimes  his  road  led  by  zig-zags  to  the  sum- 
mits  of  lofty  mountains,  whence  he  had  fine 
•/lews  of  all  the  country  round,  and  where  were 


TRAVEt  I  IN  CATHAY.  125 

spacious  inns  and  royal  houses  wherein  he  rested. 
One  bridge  that  he  crossed  was  constructed 
wholly  of  marble,  and  upon  it  were  long  ranges  of 
shops,  where  a  lively  trade  was  going  on.  This 
much  reminded  him  of  the  Rialto,  at  home  in 
Venice. 

At  last,  after  travelling  many  weeks,  he  reached 
the  important  province  of  Thibet.  As  he  crossed 
the  borders  of  this  country,  he  found  himself  con- 
stantly in  danger  from  the  bold  and  barbarous 
brigands  that  found  safe  retreats  in  its  mountain 
fastnesses.  More  than  once  'Marco  and  his  com- 
panions had  to  fight  these  fierce  robbers  for  their 
lives.  As  an  envoy  of  the  khan,  Marco  would 
have  been  a  rich  prize ;  and  the  treasure  he  car- 
ried with  him,  to  be  given  as  presents  to  the 
vassal  kings  of  the  khan,  would  have  been  no 
despicable  booty.  But  every  time  that  he  en- 
countered the  Thibet  robbers  he  repulsed  them, 
and  got  off  with  a  few  slight  wounds  which  soon 
healed. 

Marco  was  very  much  struck  with  the  wealth 
and  rich  productions  as  well  as  the  picturesque 
aspect  of  Thibet.  He  found  gold  very  plenty,  so 
plenty  that  many  of  the  commonest  people  wore 


126  MARCO  POLO. 

golden  ornaments  on  their  arms  and  around  their 
necks.  Cinnamon  was  one  of  the  most  valuable 
resources  of  the  country  ;  and  the  women  dis- 
played a  great  deal  of  coral  on  their  persons. 
Thibet  was  full  of  wizards  and  astrologers ;  but 
Marco  thought  them,  unlike  those  of  Kambalu, 
wicked  men,  who  served  rather  the  devil  than 
mankind. 

He  saw  many  very  large  dogs  in  the  country, 
which  seemed  to  him  as  big  as  donkeys,  and 
which  were  excellent  hunters ;  and  he  was  amazed 
at  the  height  to  which  the  canes  grew  in  the  jun- 
gles. These  canes  were  used  by  caravans  who 
passed  through  the  jungles  at  night,  to  make  fires 
with,  and  thus  to  keep  off  the  lions,  tigers,  and  bears 
that  prowled  in  the  dark,  dismal  swamps. 

There  was  a  long  tract  of  country  in  Thibet 
which  was  uninhabited  ;  and  Marco  and  his  com- 
panions were  obliged  to  take  enough  food  with 
them  to  last  until  they  had  crossed  this  tract. 
Every  night  they  camped  in  the  dreary  solitude, 
making  great  roaring  fires  of  the  gigantic  canes. 
On  reaching  the  limit  of  this  waste,  Marco  found 
a  country  that  was  inhabited,  indeed,  but  by  a 
degraded  and  wicked  people,  who  robbed  every 


TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY.  I2/ 

one  who  came  into  their  neighborhood  without 
scruple,  and  lived  on  the  fruits  and  on  what  game 
they  could  procure  in  the  woods.  They  used 
lumps  of  salt  as  money,  and  clad  themselves  in 
the  skins  of  wild  beasts  and  in  the  coarsest 
cloths.  Marco  saw  cinnamon,  cloves,  and  ginger 
growing  in  this  region,  and  examined  them  with 
eager  curiosity. 

On  crossing  the  wide  river  which  formed  the 
frontier  of  Thibet,  Marco  reached  a  kingdom 
ruled  over  by  one  of  the  great  khan's  sons.  Here 
again  he  saw  plenty  and  prosperity,  noble  castles 
and  thriving  cities.  He  paid  a  visit  to  the  king, 
the  khan's  son,  from  whom  he  received  a  very 
gracious  welcome,  and  who  entertained  him  with 
much  honor  in  his  palace. 

Marco  was  glad  to  once  more  find  himself  in 
a  land  which  appeared  thrifty  and  civilized.  The 
people  seemed  to  him  more  like  those  of  Kambalu 
than  any  he  had  seen ;  and  he  narrowly  observed 
their  various  customs  and  industries.  He  saw 
a  great  deal  of  grain  and  rice  growing,  and 
noticed  that  here  the  money  was  made  of  a  kind 
o£  porcelain,  taken  from  the  sea.  Vast  quantities 
of  salt  were  dug  from  pits  near  the  principal 


128  MARCO  POLO. 

city;  and  not  far  off  there  was  a  great  lake,  a 
hundred  miles  long,  from  which  an  abundance  of 
fish  of  many  kinds  were  taken.  The  people  ate 
their  meat  and  fish  raw,  in  garlic  sauce. 

While  Marco  was  in  this  country,  he  enjoyed 
a  strange  sort  of  sport — that  of  snake-hunting. 
It  appeared  that  the  region  abounded  in  huge 
reptiles,  some  of  them  twenty  or  more  feet  long, 
with  heads  shaped  like  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  big 
mouths  wide  enough  to  swallow  a  man.  These 
snakes  lay,  in  the  daytime,  in  underground  caves, 
where  it  was  dark  and  slimy ;  crawling  forth  at 
night  in  search  of  prey,  and  to  drink  in  the  rivers 
and  ponds.  They  thus  made  long  tracks  in  the 
sand. 

Marco  set  out,  late  one  afternoon,  with  a 
party  of  snake-hunters,  and  soon  came  to  a  place 
where  these  tracks  were  visible. 

Some  of  the  natives  at  once  set  to  work,  fixed 
a  kind  of  trap  across  the  tracks,  and  covered  it 
all  over  with  sand.  They  then  lay  in  wait  till  a 
snake  should  squirm  out  of  his  cavern,  and  make 
his  way  toward  the  neighboring  river.  Presently 
one  was  seen,  slipping  rapidly  along  through  the 
sand,  straight  towards  the  spot  where  the  trap 


TRAVELS  IN   CATHAY.  I2Q 

was  concealed.  In  another  moment  the  trap  had 
caught  his  huge  body.  The  snake's  head  rose 
high  in  air,  his  fangs  shot  out,  and  a  sharp  hissing 
noise  was  heard.  The  natives  rushed  up,  and 
found  that  the  teeth  of  the  trap  had  nearly 
severed  the  reptile  in  two  ;  and  a  few  blows  soon 
settled  him.  The  party  returned  in  triumph,  and 
Marco  was  delighted  to  have  seen  so  novel  a 
sport. 

The  huge  snake's  gall  bladder  was  taken  out  ; 
and,  on  asking  why  this  was  done,  Marco  learned 
that  it  was  an  infallible  remedy  for  the  bite  of  a 
mad  dog.  The  snake's  body  was  then  cut  up, 
and  sold  for  food  ;  the  people  regarding  it  as  a 
very  delicate  and  palatable  dish. 

Marco  saw  in  this  land  many  magnificent 
horses,  in  which  the  people  took  great  pride. 
The  men  were  very  skilful  horsemen,  and  always 
went  to  the  hunt  or  to  battle  astride  of  their 
steeds.  Marco  was  very  much  pleased  when,  on 
parting  from  the  king,  the  latter  presented  him 
with  several  of  the  finest  of  these  horses. 

The  next  province  which  Marco  reached  seemed 
to  him  a  very  curious  place,  so  strange  were  the 
manners  and  customs  of  its  people.  He  per- 


I3O  MARCO  POLO. 

ceived  that  the  first  man  and  woman  whom  he 
met  on  the  road  had  their  teeth  completely 
covered  with  plates  of  gold  ;  and  he  soon  found 
that  this  was  the  general  custom.  The  money 
of  this  people  consisted  both  of  porcelain,  gold, 
and  silver.  They  had  no  idols  or  temples,  but 
each  family  worshipped  its  chief  as  a  god.  Nor 
did  they  have  any  doctors ;  but  when  any  one 
was  ill,  they  sent  for  a  magician,  who  performed 
incantations  over  the  invalid,  and  danced  about 
and  howled  in  the  most  dismal  manner. 

Their  way  of  making  a  bargain  struck  Marco 
as  singular.  The  two  traders  cut  a  piece  of  wood 
into  two  equal  halves,  and  each  took  one  of  the 
halves ;  and  after  the  bargain  had  been  completed, 
and  the  money  paid  over,  he  who  paid  the  money 
also  delivered  up  his  piece  of  the  wood.  Another 
strange  custom  was  this.  When  a  woman  had 
given  birth  to  a  child,  instead  of  remaining  in  bed 
and  tending  it,  her  husband  took  her  place,  while 
she  went  about  her  household  work ;  and  the 
man  staid  in  bed  with  the  child  forty  days,  at  the 
end  of  which  period  he  rose,  and  entertained  his 
relatives  and  friends  with  a  bounteous  feast. 

From  this  place,  which  was  situated  high  among 


TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY.  1 31 

the  mountains,  Marco  began  what  was  called  "  the 
great  descent."  He  went  down  hill  for  nearly 
three  days,  descending  from  the  mountains  into 
the  valley  below.  This  valley  had  scarcely  a 
human  habitation.  It  was  nearly  covered  with 
dense  forests,  where  roamed  elephants,  leopards, 
and  rhinoceroses,  at  will.  To  cross  these  forests 
was  a  perilous  task  ;  happily  a  good  road  led 
through  them,  and  Marco  found  convenient  open- 
ings at  night  where  to  fix  his  camp. 

But  often,  as  he  lay  on  his  rude  bed  made  of 
branches,  while  the  flames  of  the  big  fire  his  at- 
tendants had  built  flickered  through  the  opening 
of  his  tent,  he  heard  the  terrible  roar  of  the  wild 
beasts,  which  seemed  only  a  few  feet  off.  He  half 
expected  to  feel  their  hot  breath  against  his 
cheek,  and  their  teeth  burying  themselves  in  his 
flesh.  The  fires  proved,  however,  an  effectual 
defence ;  and  ere  many  days  the  party  emerged 
safe  and  sound  from  the  depths  of  the  dreadful 
forest  into  the  open  country  again. 

Marco  was  delighted  to  find,  just  beyond,  a  fine 
and  populous  city,  where  he  could  see  the  faces 
of  men  once  more,  and  repose  in  a  comfortable 
bed.  The  most  remarkable  thing  he  observed  in 


MARCO  POLO. 

the  city  was  a  magnificent  tomb,  erected  in  honor 
of  one  of  its  kings.  Above  the  tomb  were  two 
towers,  twenty  feet  high,  one  of  silver,  and  the 
other  of  gold ;  at  their  summits  were  round 
cupolas  hung  with  golden  bells,  which  tinkled 
merrily  whenever  they  were  stirred  by  the  breeze. 
The  further  Marco  penetrated  to  the  westward, 
the  more  numerous  and  dangerous  did  he  find  the 
wild  beasts  that  infested  the  country.  But 
wherever  they  were  most  to  be  dreaded,  the 
natives  were  most  skilful  in  hunting  and  destroy- 
ing them.  In  one  place  Marco  saw  a  lion-hunt 
which  greatly  excited  him.  The  party  went  out 
on  horseback,  carrying  a  pack  of  large,  ferocious, 
but  well-trained  dogs.  As  soon  as  they  found 
a  lion,  prowling  and  roaring  on  the  edge  of  the 
jungle,  the  dogs  were  unleashed,  and  rushed  for 
the  lion  with  loud,  fierce  barks.  Dodging  around 
his  shaggy  head,  they  quick  as  lightning  pounced 
upon  his  hind  legs  and  thighs,  into  which  they 
fixed  their  long  sharp  teeth.  The  lion  whirled 
around  to  seize  them  ;  but  the  dogs  were  always 
too  quick  for  him,  and  kept  their  grip  grimly  on 
the  hind  parts  of  his  body.  Then  the  lion  ran 
howling  to  a  large  tree,  against  which  he  set  his 


TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY.  I$3 

back.  But  this  was  of  no  avail,  for  the  dogs  kept 
their  hold,  and  made  him  keep  turning  round  and 
round  in  a  circle.  Meanwhile  the  hunters  pierced 
him  through  and  through  with  arrows  and  javel- 
ins in  front,  until  he  fell  dead  at  their  feet. 

In  course  of  time  Marco  came  to  the  vast  city 
of  Nankin,  which  is  to-day  second  in  size  to  the 
Chinese  capital  of  Pekin.  He  found  it  a  very 
busy  place,  all  alive  with  manufactures,  and  the 
country  round  about  exceedingly  fruitful.  He 
did  not  stay  at  Nankin  long,  however,  but  pressed 
on  still  westward. 

All  this  time  he  was  faithfully  fulfilling  the 
errand  with  which  Kublai  Khan  entrusted  him. 
Whenever  he  reached  a  province  where  it  was 
necessary  to  reconcile  the  chiefs  or  the  people  to 
the  khan,  Marco  used  his  persuasions,  accom- 
panied by  lavish  presents ;  and  he  so  favorably 
impressed  the  chiefs  everywhere,  that  he  was 
usually  successful  in  his  aim.  Now  and  then  he 
found  a  province  which  could  not  be  persuaded 
to  yield  to  the  khan's  wishes;  and  such  places 
Marco  left  to  be  subdued  by  force  of  arms. 

Marco  had  not  for  many  a  long  month  set  eyes 
upon  the  sea ;  and  born,  as  he  had  been,  on  the  sea 


134  MARCO  POLO. 

coast,  he  had  always  been  fond  of  the  briny  deep. 
He  was  much  rejoiced,  therefore,  when  in  the 
course  of  his  wanderings  he  reached  one  of  the 
Tartar  sea-ports,  and  could  gaze  out  once  more 
over  the  expanse  of  waters.  This  port  was  a  very 
thriving  one;  Marco  thought  there  must  have 
been  no  less  than  five  thousand  craft  in  its  harbor ; 
certainly  there  was  a  perfect  forest  of  lateen  sails 
and  curious  sloops  and  brigs.  It  was  at  the  mouth 
of  a  very  broad  and  deep  river,  whose  waters  were 
in  their  turn  fairly  covered  with  vessels  of  all  kinds, 
which  were  drawn  through  the  water  with  ropes 
made  of  a  limber  sort  of  cane. 

Not  long  after  leaving  this  seaport  and  pro- 
ceeding inland  again,  Marco  came  to  a  city  the 
size  and  beauty  of  which,  although  he  had  already 
seen  many  beautiful  cities,  fairly  astonished  him. 
This  was  called  Kinsai,  or  the  chief  city,  and  was 
the  same  place  as  that  now  called  Hang-chou- 
fou.  He  was  told,  and  could  almost  believe  it, 
that  the  walls  around  Kinsai  were  no  less  than 
one  hundred  miles  in  circumference ;  as  he  neared 
the  gates,  the  buildings  stretched  out  on  every 
side  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  presenting  the 
same  idea  of  vastness  which  London  now  does  to 


TRAVELS  IN  CATHAY.  135 

the  eyes  of  the  approaching  traveller.  He  found 
it  harder  to  believe  that  there  were  at  least  twelve 
thousand  bridges  within  the  limits  of  the  city,  all 
built  of  stone,  beneath  many  of  which  ships  of 
the  largest  size  could  pass. 

As  he  passed  through  the  streets  of  Kinsai,  he 
wondered  more  and  more  at  the  great  wealth  and 
extreme  beauty  and  activity  of  the  place.  Many 
trades  were  evidently  pursued  there;  for  great 
warehouses  and  factories  covered  block  after 
block,  and  long  lines  of  bazaars  bordered  the  side- 
walks, or  ran  though  the  centre  of  the  broad 
avenues ;  while  palatial  residences,  belonging  to 
the  merchants,  crowned  the  hills  above  the  busi- 
ness quarter. 

Marco,  a  comely  young  man  of  twenty-three  or 
four,  could  not  fail  to  remark  that  the  women  of 
Kinsai  were  "  of  angelic  beauty,"  and  that  in  their 
apparel  they  were  as  elegant  and  showy  as  the 
ladies  of  the  European  courts.  The  men  were 
tall  and  stalwart,  and  full  of  vigor  and  enterprise 
in  their  movements.  The  streets,  in  whatever 
direction  Marco  turned,  were  well  paved  with 
large  stones ;  and  he  observed,  at  brief  intervals, 
large  square  buildings  which,  he  learned,  were  the 


236  MARCO  POLO. 

public  baths.  Of  these  he  was  told  there  were 
no  less  than  four  thousand  in  the  city,  in  each  of 
which  a  hundred  people  could  bathe  at  once  ;  and 
now  Marco  was  at  no  loss  to  account  for  the 
very  neat  appearance  that  all  the  natives  made. 
Marco  had  the  curiosity,  one  day  soon  after  reach- 
ing Kinsai,  to  go  into  one  of  these  large  bath- 
houses. He  found  a  wide  square  pool  of  clear, 
cold  water  in  the  centre,  with  broad  flights  of 
stone  steps  leading  down  into  it ;  and  there  was 
a  crowd  of  forty  or  fifty  men,  women  and  children, 
of  all  ages  and  sizes,  with  only  a  cloth  band 
about  their  waists,  floundering  about  in  the  water, 
and  evidently  much  enjoying  themselves. 

In  the  very  centre  of  the  city  Marco  found  the 
royal  palace,  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  an- 
cient kings  of  the  country  before  it  was  con- 
quered by  Kublai  Khan.  It  was  scarcely  less 
magnificent  than  Kublai's  palace  itself.  Like  the 
latter,  it  was  surrounded  by  vast,  high  walls; 
and  between  these  walls  were  orchards,  lawns, 
parks,  sparkling  fountains,  glossy  little  lakes,  and 
artifical  hillocks  thickly  planted  with  rare  trees 
and  shrubs.  The  great  hall  of  the  palace  was 
decorated  in  gold  and  azure,  and  covered  with 


TRAVELS  IN  CATHAT.  137 

pictures  of  beasts,  birds,  knights,  beautiful  women, 
and  enchanting  landscapes.  Other  buildings 
stood  around  the  palace,  and  in  all,  Marco  was 
told,  there  was  ample  room  to  seat  ten  thousand 
men  at  table.  In  the  palace  were  no  less  than 
one  thousand  bed  chambers. 

Not  far  from  this  right  royal  edifice  was  a  high 
mound,  on  which  was  placed  a  large  wooden 
table ;  and  upon  this,  when  there  was  a  fire  in 
any  part  of  the  city,  a  man  struck  heavy  blows 
with  a  hammer,  which  resounded  sharply  to  a  con- 
siderable distance.  In  another  part  of  the  city 
was  a  large  stone  tower,  whither  people  whose 
houses  were  on  fire  carried  their  household  effects 
for  safe-keeping,  until  they  could  procure  a  new 
abode. 

Marco  made  quite  a  long  stay  at  Kinsai,  for 
it  was  by  far  the  most  important  place  he  was  to 
visit  in  the  western  portion  of  the  khan's  domin- 
ions. Many  of  the  customs  of  the  people  inter- 
ested and  amused  him.  It  appeared  that  every 
dweller  in  the  city  caused  his  own  name  and  those 
of  his  wife,  children  and  servants,  to  be  written 
on  his  front  door ;  and  whenever  a  child  was  born, 
his  or  her  name  was  added.  When  any  one  of 


1 38  MARCO  POLO. 

the  family  died,  the  name  of  the  deceased  was 
erased  from  the  door.  There  was  a  beautiful  lake 
at  a  short  distance  out  of  Kinsai,  in  which  were 
two  very  picturesque  islands.  On  one  of  these 
stood  a  splendid  palace  ;  and  whenever  a  couple 
of  the  higher  class  were  married,  they  always 
went  to  this  island  palace,  with  their  relations  and 
friends,  there  to  celebrate,  amid  lovely  scenes  and 
on  embowered  terraces  overlooking  the  lake, 
their  wedding  feast.  At  funerals,  the  friends  of 
the  departed  made  images  of  horses,  camels, 
cloths,  money,  and  other  things  that  mortals 
enjoy  on  earth,  out  of  stiff  cards ;  and  when  the 
funeral  pyre  was  lighted,  threw  these  images  into 
the  flames,  saying  that  in  the  other  world  the 
deceased  one  would  enjoy  the  realities  which 
these  represented. 


MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MARCO  POLO'S  RETURN. 

fARCO  was  very  reluctant  to  leave  Kinsai. 
Every  day  that  he  tarried  there,  he  saw 
something  new  and  curious ;  he  thought 
it  a  far  more  interesting  city  than  Kambalu.  At- 
tended by  one  or  two  of  the  Tartars  who  had  ac- 
companied him  on  his  journey,  and  by  an  old 
merchant  whom  he  had  attached  to  him,  he  went 
about  the  streets,  marvelling  at  the  vastness  of 
the  place  and  its  population,  at  the  immense  col- 
lection of  goods  displayed  in  the  warehouses  and 
shops,  and  especially  at  the  great  public  works, 
comforts  and  conveniences,  which  gave  evidence 
of  a  civilization  in  many  respects  as  high  as  that 
of  Europe  itself. 

He  found  ten  or  twelve  vast  squares,  half  a 
mile  long,  succeeding  each  other  in  regular  order 
and  in  a  straight  line,  from  one  end  of  the  city  to 


140  MARCO  POLO. 

the  other.  On  these  squares  were  lofty  ware- 
houses,  filled  to  overflowing  with  goods  from  India 
and  Arabia,  from  Africa,  Java  and  Ceylon.  Par- 
allel to  this  series  of  squares  ran  a  broad  canal, 
crossed,  at  the  intersection  of  the  streets,  by 
dainty  little  bridges ;  and  on  either  side  of  the 
canal,  rows  of  stone  warehouses.  There  were 
certain  days  in  the  week  when  these  business 
quarters  were  thronged  by  thousands  of  mer- 
chants from  every  Eastern  clime,  and  in  all  the 
picturesque  costumes  of  the  Orient. 

In  the  markets  Marco  saw  the  greatest  variety 
of  game  and  fruit.  There  were  partridges  and 
pheasants,  fowl,  ducks  and  geese.  On  the  stalls 
of  the  fruiterers  were  immense  pears,  some  of 
which  seemed  to  Marco  to  weigh  ten  pounds,  and 
which  were  delicious  to  eat ;  large  luscious 
peaches,  yellow  and  white ;  and  grapes  of  many 
hues  and  flavors. 

Each  avocation,  rank  and  profession  of  the 
people  seemed  to  have  a  quarter  of  its  own  in 
which  to  reside.  In  one  quarter  lived,  in  spacious 
mansions,  often  richly  frescoed  on  the  exterior, 
the  prosperous  merchants.  There  were  streets  on 
which  you  could  find  no  one  but  astrologers  and 


MARCO  POLOS  RETURN.  141 

seers;  others  devoted  to  doctors  and  teachers; 
yet  others  where  all  the  residents  were  artisans. 
Many  of  the  wealthier  mansions  had  lovely  gar- 
dens, with  marble  fountains  and  blooming  flower 
beds  attached  to  them.  The  interiors  displayed 
very  rich  carvings,  and  luxurious  furniture. 

The  lake  which  has  been  spoken  of,  where  the 
wedding  parties  of  the  rich  and  noble  were  held, 
was  full  of  pretty  barges  with  banners  and  stream- 
ers, which,  on  pleasant  afternoons,  fairly  dotted  its 
placid  waters,  crowded  with  gay  pleasure-seekers. 
They  were  pushed  along  by  means  of  long  poles ; 
and  each  barge  had  its  elegantly  fitted  cabin,  with 
every  arrangement  for  eating  and  drinking.  Sail- 
ing in  these  barges  was,  indeed,  the  favorite  amuse- 
ment of  the  people  after  the  labors  of  the  day 
were  over.  Another  pastime  was  driving  along 
the  spacious  shady  avenues  in  their  handsome 
carriages,  which  were  long,  covered  at  the  top, 
and  supplied  with  elegant  silk  curtains  and  cush- 
ions. No  European  dame,  however  high  her 
degree,  would  have  disdained  to  ride  in  one  of 
these  luxurious  conveyances. 

Indeed,  Marco  found  that  the  people  of  Kinsai 
liked  very  much  the  same  recreations  as  did  the 


142  MARCO  POLO. 

Venetians.  What  with  boating,  driving,  and  sauiv 
tering  in  beautiful  gardens,  where  they  drank  tea 
and  listened  to  music,  their  habits  of  pleasure 
closely  resembled  those  of  his  own  countrymen. 

The  people  themselves  seemed  to  him  not  only 
highly  civilized,  but  very  amiable  and  agreeable. 
They  lived  peaceably,  and  seemed  to  hate  dis- 
turbance and  war;  and  the  only  class  generally 
disliked  in  the  city  were  the  royal  guard  placed 
there  by  the  khan,  who  kept  careful  watch  over 
the  walls  and  the  palace,  and  also  acted  as  police- 
men. The  people  did  not  even  go  armed,  and 
seemed  to  have  but  little  knowledge  of  the  use  of 
warlike  weapons.  Their  business  dealings  with 
each  other  were  frank  and  honest,  and  they  treated 
each  other  with  a  familiar  courtesy  very  pleasing 
to  see.  The  men  held  their  wives  in  high  respect, 
and  confided  implicitly  in  them ;  and  all  strangers 
who  came  to  Kinsai  were  received  with  the  most 
generous  and  genial  hospitality. 

Ruling  over  Kinsai,  before  the  conquest  of  the 
khan,  had  been  a  native  king,  named  Facfur. 
He  lived  in  gorgeous  style  in  the  palace,  and  had 
had  everything  for  his  enjoyment  that  heart 
could  wish.  In  the  inner  part  of  the  palace, 


MARCO  POLO'S  RETURN.  143 

beyond  the  sight  of  men,  and  most  jealously 
guarded,  were  ten  courts  which  contained  fifty 
beautifully  fitted  apartments,  and  which  were 
reached  by  a  long,  dark  corridor.  These  apart- 
ments were  occupied  by  a  thousand  beautiful 
girls,  who  were  the  king's  slaves,  and  whom  he 
daily  visited.  Beyond  this  seraglio  was  a  lake, 
on  the  banks  of  which  were  pretty  groves, 
orchards,  and  enclosures;  and  to  this  spot  the 
king  with  his  multitude  of  lovely  damsels  often 
repaired,  sometimes  driving  with  them  in  car- 
riages, at  other  times  on  horseback.  The  groves 
were  full  of  deer,  antelopes  and  rabbits,  and  the 
damsels  joined  their  master  in  the  hunt  with 
great  zest  and  skill.  Sometimes  breakfast  or 
dinner  was  spread  beneath  the  wide  spreading 
trees  of  the  grove,  and  the  king  and  his  seraglio 
enjoyed  their  meals  in  the  open  air. 

But  all  this  had  passed  away  when  Marco  was 
at  Kinsai ;  for  some  years  before  Kublai  Khan 
had  besieged  and  taken  the  city,  and  had  driven 
Facfur  from  the  throne  of  his  ancestors,  and  now 
the  palace  and  its  pleasure  grounds  were  fast 
falling  into  decay.  Instead  of  their  king,  the 
people  were  ruled  over  by  a  Tartar  governor 


144  MARCO  POLO. 

sent  by  the  khan ;  and  peaceably  as  they  were 
disposed,  they  were  far  from  contented  with  the 
dominion  of  a  foreign  despot. 

Marco,  however,  was  treated  with  kindness  as 
long  as  he  stayed,  though  the  envoy  of  the 
khan ;  and  at  last,  having  accomplished  his 
mission  there,  departed  with  his  train,  being 
followed  beyond  the  walls  by  the  governor  and  a 
great  concourse  of  the  people. 

Continuing  his  journey,  Marco  passed  through 
many  thriving  cities  and  pretty  towns,  which 
favorably  impressed  him  with  the  value  of  this  part 
of  the  khan's  dominions,  all  of  which  had  been 
acquired  by  conquest.  The  inhabitants  were  no 
longer  Tartars,  but  almond-eyed  Chinese;  and 
Marco  gazed  upon  them,  with  their  yellow  skins, 
their  long  pig-tails,  their  little  shoes  and  loose 
dress,  with  much  interest. 

Everywhere  the  people  seemed  a  most  peace- 
ful, harmless,  industrious  race ;  until  Marco 
came  to  a  place  called  Fugui,  where  the  inhabit- 
ants were  rude  and  ferocious,  and  lived  apart 
from  all  the  surrounding  population.  They  were 
always  fighting,  and  when  they  went  to  war, 
they  cut  their  hair  close  to  their  heads,  and 


MARCO   POLO'S   RETURN.  145 

painted  their  faces  a  deep  blue,  which  gave  them 
a  horrible,  ghastly  expression.  They  always 
fought  on  foot,  the  only  mounted  person  in  the 
army  being  its  chief.  The  prisoners  they  took 
they  cooked  and  ate,  and  seemed  to  exceedingly 
relish  this  human  food.  Marco  stayed  in  this 
place  as  short  a  time  as  possible ;  for  his  escort 
was  not  a  large  one,  and  the  natives  were  so 
hostile  to  the  rule  of  the  khan,  that  he  feared 
they  might  suddenly  attack  him. 

It  was  time  for  Marco  to  think  of  returning  to 
the  khan's  court,  and  reporting  the  result  of  his 
errand  to  the  western  provinces.  As  he  reflected 
on  all  that  he  had  seen  and  heard,  he  could  not 
but  be  astounded  at  the  wonderful  civilization, 
riches,  and  activity  of  these  far  Eastern  peoples, 
of  which  Europe  had  scarcely  heard,  and  certainly 
of  whose  great  skill  in  the  arts  and  industries 
Europeans  had  not  the  faintest  idea.  He  cast 
his  eyes  into  the  future,  and  foresaw  the  time  when 
all  these  marvels  would  become  known  to  the 
Western  world  ;  he  pictured  to  himself  the  im- 
mense trade  which  would  grow  up  between  the 
West  and  the  East — what  luxuries,  comforts  and 
adornments  Europe  would  sooner  or  later  derive 


146  MARCO  POLO. 

from  Asia.  In  his  heart  he  was  glad  that  he  had 
seen  all  these  things,  and  that,  when  he  returned  to 
Venice,  he  should  have  so  thrilling  a  story  to  tell. 

He  took  the  journey  back  to  Kambalu  leisurely, 
pursuing  much  the  same  route  as  that  by  which  he 
had  come,  and  meeting  with  many  adventures  on 
the  way.  He  encountered  the  same  perils  and 
witnessed  the  same  wild  sports,  as  those  of  his 
outward  progress  ;  loitered  in  the  pleasant  places, 
and  hurried  through  those  the  memory  of  which 
was  not  agreeable,  or  the  dangers  of  which  were 
to  be  avoided. 

More  than  a  year  had  passed  since  his  setting- 
out,  when,  one  cloudy  morning,  the  domes  and 
roofs  of  Kambalu  once  more  met  his  view.  He 
was  not  sorry  to  see  them,  for  he  should  embrace 
his  father  and  uncle  once  more,  and  he  had  news 
for  the  khan  which  could  not  fail  to  please  his 
royal  friend.  A  messenger,  gone  on  before,  had 
carried  the  tidings  of  his  return ;  and  when  he 
was  within  a  few  miles  of  the  city,  he  was  met  by 
his  father  and  uncle,  who  had  galloped  out  on 
horseback  to  greet  him.  Father  and  son  leaped 
off  their  steeds,  and  were  locked  in  each  other's 
fond  embrace.  They  eagerly  questioned  each 


MARCO   POLO'S  RETURN.  147 

other  as  to  what  had  happened  while  they  had 
parted  ;  Nicolo  remarked  how  stalwart,  brown  and 
sinewy  Marco  had  grown,  and  how  long  his  beard 
was;  and  Marco  perceived  that  his  father  bore 
more  wrinkles,  and  that  his  hair  was  more  plenti- 
fully sprinkled  with  streaks  of  gray. 

The  khan's  welcome  of  his  faithful  envoy  was 
most  cordial.  He  warmly  embraced  him,  and 
heard  his  account  of  what  he  had  seen  and  done 
with  emphatic  tokens  of  his  pleasure.  That 
night  a  noble  feast  was  held  in  the  great  hall  of 
the  palace  in  honor  of  the  wanderer's  return, 
after  which  the  khan  ordered  his  jugglers  and 
clowns  to  perform  their  most  perilous  and  amus- 
ing feats  for  the  entertainment  of  the  court. 

Marco  now  enjoyed  a  long  period  of  repose 
from  his  wanderings.  He  found  himself  more 
firmly  fixed  than  ever  in  the  khan's  favor,  and 
that  his  position  at  court  was  more  privileged 
and  prominent  than  before.  But  having  had  a 
taste  of  adventure,  he  soon  wearied  of  the  luxu- 
rious indolence  and  ease  that  marked  life  at  the 
palace ;  and  when  the  khan  proposed  another 
expedition  to  him,  he  eagerly  caught  at  the  chance 
for  a  more  stirring  career. 


148  MARCO  POLO. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  Marco  often  went  on 
embassies  to  distant  parts  of  the  monarch's  do- 
minions. Sometimes  he  was  accompanied  by  his 
father  and  uncle  ;  sometimes  they  went,  while  he 
staid  at  home.  After  a  time,  he  was  oftener  on 
his  travels  than  idly  loitering  about  the  court. 
He  became  acquainted  with  all  the  khan's  prov- 
inces, even  the  remotest ;  and  was  soon  known 
and  honored  by  all  the  governors  and  vassal  kings 
who  were  subject  to  the  khan,  and  even  by  the 
populations  of  the  cities  and  towns. 

Happily  for  the  world,  Marco  had  a  wonder- 
fully good  memory ;  and  he  took  care  to 
make  notes  of  the  curious  things  he  observed. 
So  that,  years  after,  when  he  was  cast  into  prison 
(as  we  shall  find),  he  was  able  to  give  a  full  nar- 
rative of  all  that  he  had  seen  and  all  that  had 
befallen  him  in  the  romantic  East. 

The  khan  was  pursuing  his  military  operations 
all  the  time  that  the  Polos  were  at  his  court.  He 
was  a  warlike  potentate,  loved  the  din  of  battle, 
and  was  insatiably  ambitious  of  adding  new  ter- 
ritory to  his  already  vast  dominions.  It  was 
rarely  that  a  neighbor  whom  he  had  resolved  to 
subdue  could  withstand  him  for  any  length  of 


MARCO  POLOS  RETURN.  149 

time ;  for  so  numerous  and  well-appointed  were  his 
armies,  such  was  his  own  skill  and  perseverance, 
and  such  was  the  fierce  courage  of  his  troops 
that  he  was  well  nigh  irresistible. 

There  was  one  large  and  prosperous  city  on  the 
western  borders  of  his  empire,  however,  which 
defied  every  assault  that  he  could  make  upon  it. 
It  was  a  valuable  prize,  for  it  was  not  only  a 
good  military  stronghold,  but  also  a  seat  of  busy 
manufacture  and  highly  profitable  arts.  To  sub- 
due this  city  would  be  to  add  largely  to  the 
khan's  revenues;  but  to  this  advantage  he  was 
more  indifferent  than  to  the  others  it  possessed. 
He  would  also  acquire  a  most  thrifty  population, 
a  stout  defence  against  his  enemies  beyond,  and 
a  large  addition  to  his  armies.  Besides,  Kublai 
Khan  was  unwilling  that  any  foreign  city  should 
rival  his  own  in  power  and  prosperity;  he  wished 
to  rule  supreme  in  Asia. 

For  three  years  this  brave  city,  the  name  of 
which  was  Sayanfu,  had  held  out  against  the  im- 
perial forces,  though  the  khan  had  sent  a  mighty 
army  to  besiege  it.  The  army  could  only  ap- 
proach it  on  one  side,  because  on  every  other  side 
the  city  was  bounded  by  a  wide  lake.  Across 


I5O  MARCO  POLO. 

this  lake  came  the  provisions  which  enabled  the 
garrison  to  hold  out.  The  khan's  troops  were 
therefore  obliged  to  give  up  the  siege,  and  return 
to  Cathay. 

This  discomfiture  irritated  the  khan,  whose  will 
was  seldom  thwarted  in  anything  he  undertook ; 
and  he  became  morose  and  despondent.  Not 
long  after  the  return  of  the  troops,  Marco  Polo 
sought  an  audience  of  the  khan;  and  having  been 
admitted  to  his  presence,  as  he  always  was  freely 
when  he  asked  it,  addressed  the  downcast  monarch 
as  follows : 

"  Sire,  I  think,  if  you  will  intrust  an  expedi- 
tion against  Sayanfu  to  my  father,  my  uncle  and 
myself,  we  can  subdue  the  city,  and  deliver  it 
into  your  hands." 

The  khan  looked  up  surprised,  and  a  new  hope 
glowed  in  his  eyes.  He  had  unlimited  confidence 
in  the  wisdom  and  capacity  of  the  Polos,  and 
Marco's  words  at  once  aroused  him  from  his  gloom. 

"  And  how  will  you  do  this,  Venetian,  when 
my  greatest  generals  and  bravest  troops  have 
failed  ?" 

"  We  will  assail  the  walls,  sire,  and  batter  them 
down.  We  have  certain  skilful  men  in  our  train. 


MARCO  POLOS  RETURN.  151 

One  of  them,  a  German  and  a  Christian,  can  build 
a  powerful  engine  which  no  wall  can  resist ;  and 
other  engines,  which  will  hurl  enormous  stones 
to  a  great  distance,  and  will  thus  bring  the  city  to 
terms." 

"  Go  speedily,  then,"  cried  the  khan  ;  "  take 
such  troops  as  you  choose,  and  assume  their  com- 
mand. Once  more  lay  siege  to  this  audacious 
city ;  and  if  you  can  take  it  with  your  engines, 
my  gratitude  will  be  boundless." 

The  Polos  started  forth  with  a  numerous  force. 
The  German  and  his  companions  were  as  good  as 
Marco's  word.  The  march  was  along  and  dreary 
one ;  but  both  the  Polos  and  the  cohorts  they 
commanded  were  used  to  hard  tramping,  and  in  a 
shorter  time  than  might  be  believed  found  them- 
selves confronting  the  frowning  walls  of  Sayanfu. 
The  machines  made  by  the  German  and  transported 
to  the  scene  of  action  were  soon  placed  in  position ; 
and  ere  long  the  people  of  Sayanfu  found  their 
houses  pelted  with  huge  rocks,  which  came  crash- 
ing through  the  roofs  and  spreading  devastation 
in  the  streets.  At  the  same  time  great  battering- 
rams  were  brought  near  the  walls,  and  being  set 
in  motion,  made  terrible  breaches  in  them.  This 


152  MARCO   POLO. 

was  a  kind  of  warfare  which  the  people  of  Sayanfu 
had  never  before  seen.  They  soon  became  panic- 
stricken,  and  began  to  clamor  to  their  governor 
and  generals  to  give  up  the  city.  The  chiefs  met 
in  council;  meanwhile  building  after  building  was 
falling  headlong,  crushed  by  the  missiles  of  the 
Tartars.  At  last,  it  was  resolved  to  send  out 
messengers  to  plead  for  terms  of  peace. 

The  Polos  received  the  envoys  in  their  camp. 
They  told  them  that  there  was  only  one  condition 
on  which  they  would  cease  bombarding  the  city. 
This  was,  that  it  should  submit  to  the  dominion 
of  the  khan.  There  was  no  time  to  waste  in  par- 
leying. The  harsh  terms  were  agreed  to,  and  the 
Tartar  army  entered  Sayanfu  in  triumph,  and  took 
possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  their  sovereign. 

Their  return  to  Kambalu  was  signalized  by  the 
wildest  rejoicings.  The  khan  was  beside  himself 
with  delight,  and  showered  honors  and  gifts 
upon  the  Venetians,  who  had  so  valiantly  suc- 
ceeded where  his  oldest  and  ablest  generals  had 
failed. 

The  triumph  of  the  Polos,  however,  gave  rise 
to  much  jealousy  on  the  part  of  these  generals, 
and  other  nobles  of  the  khan's  court ;  and  it  was 


MARCO   POLO'S   RETURN.  153 

not  long  before  Marco  heard  of  a  plot  to  entice 
himself,  his  father  and  his  uncle,  out  of  the  city 
to  a  lonely  spot,  and  there  to  murder  them.  He 
divulged  this  plot  to  the  khan,  who  instantly 
banished  those  who  were  concerned  in  it ;  and 
after  that  it  was  long  before  Marco  heard  of  any 
further  jealousy  or  ill  will  towards  him  and  his 
kinsmen. 

Many  years  had  now  elapsed  since  the  arrival 
of  the  Polos  in  Cathay.  Marco,  amid  all  the  ex- 
citements and  luxury  of  his  life  there,  had  often 
sighed  for  home  and  the  friends  left  behind,  so 
long  ago,  in  Venice.  But  when  he  or  his  father 
spoke  to  the  khan  of  their  desire  to  turn  their 
steps  westward  towards  Europe  again,  the 
swarthy  potentate  would  not  listen  to  such  a 
thing.  The  Polos  knew  well  that,  if  he  had  set 
his  heart  on  their  remaining,  he  could,  if  neces- 
sary, prevent  their  departure  by  force ;  nor  could 
they  hope  to  escape  secretly  from  his  court  and 
country.  They  were  forced,  therefore,  to  bide 
their  time,  and  await  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
return  to  Europe. 

Meanwhile,  Marco  was  destined  to  have  many 
adventures,  and  see  other  peoples,  as  strange  and 


154  MARCO  POLO. 

interesting  as  those  he  had  already  visited.  It 
was  not  long  after  their  unsuccessful  attempt  to  get 
away,  that  the  khan  sent  him  upon  a  longer  and 
more  interesting  expedition  than  he  had  before 
undertaken. 


MAttCO  POLO.  155 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MARCO   POLO  IN  THE    EASTERN  SEAS. 

JN  a  hot  summer  morning,  Marco  set  foot 
for  the  first  time  on  an  Oriental  ship. 
Once  more  he  was  on  his  travels;  and 
this  time  the  greater  part  of  his  journey  was  to 
be  by  sea.  The  ship  on  whose  deck  he  found 
himself  was,  to  his  eyes,  a  very  curious  affair; 
rude,  when  compared  with  European  craft,  yet 
not  without  its  features  of  comfort,  safety,  and 
convenience.  It  was  evidently  constructed  of  fir 
wood,  and  it  had  but  a  single  deck. 

Marco  wandered  over  the  vessel,  eager  to  ex- 
amine its  every  part.  He  observed  that  the  space 
below  the  deck  was  divided  into  no  less  than  sixty 
cabins,  very  cozily  fitted  and  furnished,  most  of 
them  being  used  for  sleeping  purposes.  The  ship 
had  one  rudder  and  four  masts.  In  the  hold 
was  a  number  of  compartments  made  of  very 


156  MARCO  POLO. 

thick  planks,  and  water-tight,  so  that  if  the  vessel 
sprang  aleak  in  one  of  them  the  goods  might  be 
removed  to  another,  into  which  the  water  from 
the  first  could  not  penetrate.  He  was  told  that 
not  seldom  vessels  were  struck  so  hard  by  whales 
as  to  force  in  the  bottom.  If  a  leak  followed 
the  water  ran  on  to  a  well,  and  passed  out  again. 
The  ship  was  very  strongly  built.  The  planks 
were  thick,  held  together  with  stout  nails,  and 
were  thickly  plastered  ;  but  not  with  pitch,  of  the 
use  of  which  the  Tartars  appeared  to  be  quite 
ignorant.  The  vessel  was  propelled  by  oars,  each 
of  which  required  four  sailors.  In  all  the  crew 
numbered  two  hundred  men.  A  number  of  small 
boats,  for  fishing  and  other  purposes,  were  hung 
at  the  sides.  Marco's  first  destination  was  to  the 
large  group  of  flourishing  islands,  which  lay  several 
hundred  miles  off  the  coast  of  Cathay,  and  with 
which  we  are  now  familiar  as  Japan.  It  was  a 
long  and  wearisome  voyage,  and  for  the  first  few 
days  Marco  felt  all  the  discomforts  of  seasickness. 
After  recovering  from  this,  he  began  to  enjoy  the 
sea  transit  and  gazed  with  much  interest  at  the 
many  strange-looking  craft  that  passed  and  re. 
passed  within  sight  of  his  ship. 


IN   THE   EASTERN   SEAS.  !$/ 

It  appeared  that,  not  many  years  before,  the 
khan  had  attacked  the  Japanese  islands  with  a  large 
fleet  and  a  strong  army  under  two  of  his  ablest 
generals.  They  landed  on  one  of  the  islands,  but 
were  forced  to  embark  from  it  again,  on  account 
of  dangerous  storms  and  winds  that  threatened 
the  destruction  of  their  vessels.  They  repaired 
to  another  island,  where  they  sought  refuge  from 
the  fury  of  the  elements.  Soon  after  some  of 
their  ships  sailed  for  home,  and  others  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  tempests.  The  Japanese  now  de- 
scended with  a  large  fleet  upon  the  island  to  make 
an  end  of  the  invaders ;  and  desembarking,  ad- 
vanced to  attack  them.  The  Tartars,  perceiving 
that  the  enemy  had  left  their  ships,  ran  down  to 
the  coast  and,  boarding  them,  set  sail  for  the 
largest  island,  leaving  the  Japanese  in  dismay  and 
helplessness  behind. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  large  island,  seeing  their 
own  ships  return,  thought  of  course  that  they 
brought  back  the  Japanese  army.  They  therefore 
left  their  principal  city  undefended,  and  the  Tar- 
tars entered  it  and  held  it.  But  soon  the  Japanese 
who  had  been  left  on  the  smaller  island  recovered 
their  senses.  They  collected  other  ships,  be- 


158  MARCO  POLO. 

sieged  their  city,  held  as  it  was  by  the  Tartars, 
and  at  last  compelled  the  khan's  forces  to  sur- 
render. Thus  the  khan's  expedition  had  failed, 
and  the  Japanese  were  still,  when  Marco  made  this 
voyage,  independent  of  his  rule.  Satisfied  to  re- 
cover their  natural  liberty,  the  Japanese  had  been 
willing  to  live  ever  since  on  terms  of  peace  and 
friendship  with  the  khan  and  his  subjects;  and 
when  Marco  arrived  at  their  islands,  he  found 
himself  free  to  land  and  wander  in  their  towns  at 
will. 

He  found  them  a  people  with  lighter  complex- 
ions than  those  who  dwelt  on  the  main  land,  and 
better  looking.  Their  pleasant  manners,  too, 
pleased  him.  Like  the  Tartars  and  the  Chinese, 
they  seemed  very  rich,  and  especially  to  have  an 
abundance  of  gold.  He  saw  a  palace  on  the 
first  island  at  which  he  landed  which  appeared 
to  be  fairly  plated  with  gold.  Even  the  pave- 
ments of  the  palace  blazed  with  the"  rich  metal. 
The  Japanese  also  had  plenty  of  precious  stones ; 
and  among  them  Marco  saw  for  the  first  time 
ed  pearls,  which  struck  him  as  very  beautiful. 

Marco  observed  that  the  Japanese  were  idol- 
aters, and  tha*  they  worshipped  idols  having  the 


IN  THE  EASTERN   SEAS.  1 59 

heads  of  dogs,  sheep,  and  pigs,  and  an  immense 
number  of  arms  and  hands,  spreading  out  from 
the  bodies  in  every  direction.  On  his  asking  one  of 
them  why  his  countrymen  had  such  strange  idols, 
the  reply  was  that  "  our  ancestors  left  them  to 
us,  and  we  shall  leave  them  to  our  children." 

Marco's  stay  in  Japan  was  brief,  for  he  had 
still  a  long  voyage  to  take.  His  ship  sailed  thence 
southward  into  the  sea  of  China,  and  stopped  at 
many  groups  of  islands,  on  which  the  young  trav- 
eller landed,  and  where  he  saw  many  novel 
sights. 

He  was  greatly  struck  with  the  number  and  de- 
licious fragrance  of  the  spice  trees  and  shrubs  that 
grew  on  these  islands ;  and  also  with  the  abundance 
of  gold  and  other  precious  metals  which  seemed 
to  exist  everywhere.  At  last  he  reached  a  large 
island  called  Ciampa,  which  was  ruled  over  by  a 
king  who  paid  tribute  to  the  khan,  and  who  there- 
fore welcomed  Marco  with  such  semi-barbarous 
hospitality  as  he  could.  The  khan  had  some  years 
before  invaded  Ciampa  with  a  large  army,  and 
had  laid  waste  the  territory  ;  whereupon  the  king 
had  agreed  to  pay  yearly  a  tribute,  in  the  shape 
a  number  ol  large  elephants.  Every  year,  there- 


I6O  MARCO  POLO. 

fore,  there  arrived  at  the  khan's  court  a  group  of 
these  lordly  beasts,  which  he  valued  more  than 
any  others  he  had. 

Marco  was  amused  with  some  of  the  customs 
of  Ciampa.  One  was,  that  before  any  young  girl 
on  the  island  could  be  married,  she  must  be 
brought  before  the  king  ;  and  if  he  chose  to  take 
her  for  one  of  his  wives,  she  must  be  given  up 
to  him.  Thus  his  sable  majesty  had  a  multi- 
tude of  wives,  the  greatest  beauties  in  his 
realm ;  and  more  than  a  hundred  sons  and 
daughters. 

After  a  long  voyage  Marco  found  himself 
among  that  famous  group  of  islands  that  lies  in 
a  long,  almost  parallel  line,  along  the  southern 
coast  of  Asia.  He  landed  on  Java,  which  was 
then  a  powerful  and  independent  kingdom,  with 
a  prosperous  trade  with  India  and  China.  The 
Java  merchants  sent  their  pepper,  nutmegs, 
cloves  and  other  rich  spices  to  the  continent, 
and  received  back  grain  and  silks.  Marco  was 
amazed  at  the  busy  aspect  of  its  towns  and  the 
wealth  of  its  people.  He  was  still  more  deeply 
interested  in  Sumatra,  which  he  soon  afterwards 
visited,  and  which  seemed  to  him  even  richer  in 


IN   THE  EASTERN  SEAS.  l6l 

commerce  and  in  natural  productions.  In  some 
parts  of  the  island  he  found  the  people  very  w'"u 
and  barbarous ;  and  while  sojourning  in  one  of 
the  interior  towns,  he  amused  himself  by  wit- 
nessing a  wild  elephant  hunt.  The  rhinoceroses 
there  were  the  largest  and  most  ferocious  he  had 
ever  seen,  v;Ith  big  black  horns  in  the  middle  of 
thei-  foreheads,  and  a  most  forbidding  aspect. 
There,  too,  he  saw  the  greatest  multitude  of 
monkeys  of  all  shapes,  sizes  and  colors,  whose 
antics  among  the  .branches  of  the  forest  trees 
he  watched  with  much  glee. 

Marco  observed  in  Sumatra  some  mummies 
which,  it  was  said,  were  those  of  a  race  of  pig- 
mies  that  dwelt  in  India.  On  examining  them 
closely,  however,  he  was  able  to  detect  that  they 
were  really  preserved  monkeys.  These  monkeys 
it  appeared,  were  taken,  skinned  and  shaved,  and 
their  limbs  pressed  so  as  to  resemble  human 
bodies  as  much  as  possible ;  and  were  then  put 
in  jars  and  sold  to  credulous  people  as  dwarfs. 

Among  the  tribes  inhabiting  Sumatra,  Marco 
found  some  who  were  cannibals;  and  so  much 
afraid  were  the  Tartars  who  came  with  him  that 
these  cannibals  would  catch  and  roast  them,  that 


l62  MARCO  POLO. 

they  built  huts  of  wood  and  twigs  on  the 
shore,  so  as  to  defend  themselves  from  them  if 
attacked.  In  one  of  the  tribes,  if  a  man  fell 
sick,  his  family  sent  for  a  magician  and  asked 
him  if  the  invalid  could  recover.  The  magician, 
after  performing  incantations  over  him,  pretended 
to  be  able  to  predict  this.  If  he  foretold  that  the 
man  would  die,  the  relatives  made  haste  to 
strangle  the  sufferer,  to  cook  his  body,  and  invite 
all  their  friends  to  feast  upon  it.  They  were  very 
careful  to  eat  him  completely  up,  for  they  be- 
lieved that  otherwise  his  soul  would  be  in  tor- 
ment ;  and  having  collected  the  bones,  they 
placed  them  in  a  large,  beautifully  ornamented 
coffin,  which  they  hid  away  in  a  cavern  in  the 
mountains. 

On  another  island,  which  Marco  visited  after 
leaving  Sumatra,  he  saw  some  huge  orang- 
outangs, which,  it  seemed,  the  natives  believed  to 
be  hairy  wild  men  who  dwelt  in  the  woods. 

After  leisurely  cruising  for  some  time  among 
the  islands  in  this  vicinity,  Marco  at  last  came  to 
that  famous  and  lovely  island  which  we  know  as 
Ceylon.  The  loveliness  of  the  place  was  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  barbarous  aspect  and  character  of 


IN  THE  EASTERN  SEAS.  l* 

— > 

the  natives,  who,  Marco  noticed,  went  almost 
naked,  and  roamed  about  their  picturesque  moun- 
tains and  forests  just  as  if  they  were  wild  beasts. 
They  raised  no  grain  except  rice,  on  which,  and  the 
flesh  of  the  game  they  caught  in  the  woods, 
they  wholly  subsisted.  But  savage  as  these 
people  were,  Marco  was  amazed  at  the  number  and 
beauty  of  the  gems  they  possessed.  Chief  among 
these  were  the  rubies,  which  were  very  large  and 
brilliant.  The  king  of  the  country  had  a  ruby 
which  Marco  was  sure  was  the  largest  in  the 
world.  Sapphires,  topazes,  amethysts  and  dia- 
monds were  also  abundant. 

While  in  Ceylon,  Marco  saw  a  lofty  and  jagged 
mountain  rising  from  the  midst  of  verdant  hills, 
which  it  seemed  impossible  to  ascend.  Its  crags 
rose  among  the  clouds,  and  were  often  lost  to  view 
amid  the  shrouds  the  clouds  spread  about  them. 
This,  he  was  told,  was  "Adam's  Peak;"  and  upon 
it  was  said  to  be  the  tomb  of  the  founder  of  the 
Buddhist  religion,  being  situated  near  the  place 
where  he  had  departed  from  earth.  Kublai  Khan 
had,  indeed,  sent  thither  some  years  before  and 
had  obtained  two  of  the  teeth,  and  some  of  the 
hair,  supposed  to  belong  to  the  god  of  his  faith. 


164  MARCO  POLO. 

He  had  also  obtained  a  miraculous  cup  which 
had  been  used  by  this  god,  and  which  when  filled 
with  food  for  one  man,  speedily  contained,  it  was 
said,  enough  for  five. 

Marco  spent  a  long  time  in  Ceylon,  for  it  was 
the  loveliest  island  he  had  yet  seen  in  the  eastern 
seas,  and  the  people,  though  wild  and  almost 
bestial  in  their  habits,  were  not  quarrelsome  or 
unfriendly.  He  found  them,  indeed,  to  be  great 
cowards,  who  seemed  afraid  of  the  weapons  which 
the  Tartars  carried  in  their  belts;  and  Marco 
wondered  why,  with  all  their  riches,  they  had 
not  long  since  been  conquered  by  some  ambitious 
potentate  from  the  mainland.  He  loved  to  wander 
in  their  beautiful  groves,  and  to  loiter  under  the 
natural  avenues  of  wide  spreading  palms ;  to  eat 
of  the  delicious  fruit  which  grew  there  in  richest 
profusion,  and  some  kinds  of  which  were  quite 
new  to  him ;  or  to  ascend  some  sloping  hill,  and 
gaze  out  upon  the  sparkling  sea. 

It  was  a  very  short  transit — only  about  sixty 
miles — from  Ceylon  to  the  nearest  point  on  the 
great  peninsula  of  India ;  and  it  was  with  deep 
emotion  that  Marco  for  the  first  time  caught 
sight  of  that  famous  and  mighty  empire.  People 


IN  THE  EASTERN   SEAS.  165 

in  Europe  already  knew  something  about  India; 
although  three  centuries  were  to  elapse  before 
Vasco  da  Gama  found  a  way  to  it  by  sea,  around 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Travellers  from  Italy 
had  visited  its  wonderful  cities,  and  had  brought 
back  thrilling  accounts,  which  had  reached  Marco 
Polo's  ears  in  his  boyhood.  Of  India  he  had  learned 
still  more  at  the  khan's  court,  for  a  prosperous 
trade  existed  between  India  and  Cathay ;  and  all 
that  he  had  heard  of  the  Hindoo  Empire  made 
him  very  impatient  to  observe  it  for  himself. 

As  he  approached  the  coast,  he  saw  a  sight 
which  he  afterwards  remembered  with  much  in- 
terest. This  was  the  vast  fleet  of  boats  that  were 
engaged  in  the  pearl  fishery.  Many  large  vessels 
were  anchored  in  the  sea  for  miles  around,  and 
from  these  the  boats  with  the  divers  went  out. 
Marco  saw  the  divers,  with  their  strange  gear, 
plunging  into  the  water,  and,  after  a  few  moments, 
drawn  up  again  by  their  comrades,  holding  the 
large  shells  which  they  had  grasped  on  the  bot- 
tom, and  in  which  the  pearls  were  fixed  in  rows. 

Marco  landed  on  the  coast  of  India,  which  at 
this  point  was  full  of  sand  banks  and  coral  reefs; 
and  went  into  the  interior,  guarded  by  the  train 


1 66  MARCO  POLO. 

of  attendants  whom  Kublai  Khan  had  sent  with 
him.  Ere  long  he  reached  the  chief  town  of  the 
province  of  Maabar,  where  he  rested  from  his 
voyage,  and  employed  himself  in  observing  the 
country  and  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
people.  The  king  of  Maabar,  learning  that  he 
was  from  the  mighty  monarch  of  Cathay,  received 
him  with  all  honor,  and  permitted  him  to  wander 
everywhere  at  full  liberty. 

The  people,  he  perceived,  went  naked,  except 
that  they  wore  a  piece  of  cloth  about  their  middle. 
The  same  was  true  of  the  king  himself ;  but  to 
make  up  for  want  of  clothes,  the  dusky  potentate 
fairly  glittered  with  rich  jewelry.  He  wore  an 
enormous  necklace  of  rubies,  sapphires  and 
emeralds ;  and  from  this  was  suspended  a  long 
silk  cord,  on  which  very  large  pearls  were  strung. 
On  both  his  arms  and  legs  were  heavy  jewelled 
and  golden  bracelets. 

This  king  had  no  less  than  five  hundred  wives, 
and  freely  appropriated  the  wives  of  any  of  his  sub- 
jects when  he  happened  to  take  a  fancy  to  them; 
and  the  despoiled  husbands  were  obliged  to  sub- 
mit to  their  loss  with  a  good  grace.  The  king 
had  a  numerous  body  guard,  armed  to  the  teeth, 


IN   THE   EASTERN   SEAS.  167 

who  attended  him  wherever  he  went,  and  pro- 
tected his  palace  at  night.  Marco  was  told  that 
when  a  king  of  Maabar  died,  a  huge  funeral  pyre 
was  erected,  upon  which  the  royal  corpse  was 
placed  ;  and  that  as  soon  as  the  priests  set  fire  to 
it,  his  guards  threw  themselves  upon  it,  and  were 
burned  with  their  master. 

Marco  was  one  day  loitering  in  the  streets  of 
the  town  (which  was  quite  a  populous  one)  when 
he  saw  a  crowd  approaching,  and  in  their  midst 
a  wagon  drawn  by  natives.  The  crowd  were 
shouting  in  an  excited  manner ;  and  as  soon  as 
the  wagon  came  near,  he  perceived  a  man  standing 
bolt  upright  in  it,  holding  some  long  sharp  knives. 
On  asking  what  this  meant,  he  was  told  that  the 
man  had  committed  some  grave  crime,  and  was 
being  carried  to  the  place  of  execution.  The  crowd 
were  calling  out,  "  This  brave  man  is  about  to  kill 
himself,  for  the  love  of  the  great  idol !"  Marco 
followed  the  crowd,  which  stopped  in  an  open 
space  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  Then  the  man  in 
the  cart  began  to  stab  himself  with  the  knives,  first 
in  the  arms,  then  in  the  legs,  and  lastly  in  the 
stomach,  crying  the  while,  "  I  kill  myself  for  love 
of  the  idol ;"  until,  pierced  by  many  self-inflicted 


l68  MARCO  POLO. 

wounds,  he  fell  expiring  in  the  bottom  of  the  cart. 
It  was  supposed  that  thus  he  saved  his  soul. 

Soon  after,  Marco  had  occasion  to  witness 
another  ghastly  custom  of  the  Hindoos,  in  which 
the  wife  was  thrown  alive  upon  the  burning  pyre 
with  her  dead  husband.  The  natives,  besides 
their  idols,  worshipped  oxen  and  cows,  and  no 
power  on  earth  could  have  induced  them  to  eat 
beef. 

Everybody  in  Maabar,  from  the  king  to  his 
meanest  subject,  always  sat  upon  the  ground ; 
and  when  Marco  asked  a  Hindoo  why  they  did 
not  sit  on  chairs  or  benches,  the  latter  replied, 
solemnly,  "  We  came  from  earth,  and  must  return 
to  earth;  and  we  cannot  too  much  honor  this 
common  mother."  Though  barbarous  in  many 
of  their  ways,  this  people  were  at  least  exceed- 
ingly neat.  In  this  respect,  there  were  some 
European  nations  that  might  have  taken  pattern 
from  t!:oin.  They  never  would  eat  until  they 
had  washed  all  over;  and  every  Hindoo  took  two 
baths  each  day.  They  were  also  very  temperate, 
rarely  or  never  partaking  of  wine. 

Crimes  or  offences  aga:r...t  their  laws  were 
very  severely  punished.  \Yhcn  a  Hindoo  owed 


IN   THE   EASTERN   SEAS.  169 

another  a  debt  and  would  not  pay  it,  the  creditor 
watched  his  opportunity,  and  drew  a  wide  circle 
around  the  debtor  with  a  pointed  stick.  If  the 
debtor  moved  out  of  this  circle  without  pay- 
ing what  he  owed,  he  condemned  himself  to 
death.  In  consequence  of  this  curious  method, 
there  were  but  few  debtors  in  Maabar.  Once 
while  Marco  was  there,  the  king  himself  became 
subject  to  the  custom.  A  foreign  merchant, 
to  whom  the  king  owed  a  large  sum,  was  bold 
enough  to  draw  a  circle  around  his  majesty; 
who  finding  himself  fairly  caught  by  his  own 
law,  made  haste  to  pay  the  debt. 

After  staying  for  some  time  at  Maabar,  Marco 
pursued  his  journey  into  the  interior  of  Hin- 
doostan,  his  mind  full  of  the  singular  sights  he 
had  seen,  and  eager  to  observe  the  Hindoo  races 
who  dwelt  beyond. 


MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MARCO  POLO  AMONG  THE  HINDOOS. 

INDIA,  at  the  time  that  Marco  visited  it, 
was  divided  into  a  great  many  independ- 
ent states,  some  Hindoo  and  some  Mo- 
hammedan, each  ruled  over  by  its  own  sovereign. 
It  was  not,  as  now,  the  dependency  of  a  great 
foreign  power.  But  as  India  was  six  centuries 
ago,  in  its  faith,  manners  and  customs,  and  the 
character  of  its  people,  so  it  is  very  much  to-day. 
Many  of  the  manners  and  customs  which  Marco 
observed,  still  exist ;  and  we  find  in  the  Hindoos 
of  the  present  very  much  the  same  peculiar  vices 
and  virtues  as  those  he  described.  Marco  found 
the  Hindoos,  like  most  of  the  Orientals  he  had 
seen,  very  much  under  the  influence  of  magicians 
and  astrologers.  They  were  very  superstitious, 
and  there  were  many  omens  the  warnings  of  which 
they  always  took  care  to  obey,  believing  that  if 


AMONQ  THE   HINDOOS.  I/I 

they  did  not  do  so,  misfortune  would  fall  upon 
them.  A  man  who  set  out  on  a  journey,  if  he 
met  with  what  he  considered  an  evil  omen, 
would  turn  back  and  go  straight  home  again, 
no  matter  how  near  he  might  be  to  his  destina- 
tion, or  how  pressing  his  business.  The  day, 
hour  and  minute  of  the  birth  of  every  child  were 
recorded,  simply  to  enable  the  magicians  to  make 
predictions  concerning  his  future  life. 

As  soon  as  a  boy  reached  his  thirteenth  birth- 
day he  became  independent  of  his  parents,  and 
went  out  into  the  world  to  make  his  own  living; 
having  received  a  small  sum  of  money  from  his 
father  with  which  to  make  a  start.  They  did 
very  much  as  poor  boys,  dependent  on  themselves, 
do  in  our  day ;  found  something  to  hawk  about 
the  streets  and  sell,  on  which  they  could  make  a 
little  profit.  Near  the  seashore  they  were  in  the 
habit  of  watching  on  the  beach  for  the  pearl- 
boats  to  come  in,  and  would  buy  a  few  small 
pearls  of  a  fisherman,  and  carry  them  into  the  in- 
terior and  sell  them  to  the  merchants.  Having 
made  a  little  money,  they  would  go  and  buy  some 
provisions  for  their  mothers,  who  still  prepared 
their  food  for  them. 


IJ2  MARCO  POLO. 

Marco  saw  many  monasteries,  nestling  amid 
the  mountains  and  hills,  as  he  progressed  through 
the  country  ;  and  learned  that  these  monasteries 
were  full  of  idols,  adorned  with  gold  and  precious 
stones.  To  the  care  and  worship  of  these  idols 
large  numbers  of  lovely  young  girls  were  sacrificed 
by  their  parents ;  and  these  girls  were  in  the 
habit,  every  day,  of  cooking  very  savory  dishes, 
and  placing  them,  with  great  reverence,  before 
the  hideous  idols.  As  the  idols  did  not  descend 
from  their  pedestals  and  partake  of  the  food, 
Marco  wondered  what  became  of  it.  He  soon 
found  out ;  for,  having  been  admitted  to  one  of  the 
monasteries  as  a  great  favor,  he  saw  the  girls  offer 
the  idols  their  daily  meal :  after  which  they  began 
to  dance  some  very  quick  and  graceful  dances,  sing- 
ing the  while  a  loud,  wild,  joyous  chorus.  When 
they  ceased  dancing  and  singing,  they  went  up  to 
the  dishes ;  and,  supposing  the  idols  had  eaten 
as  much  as  they  desired,  the  girls  themselves  de- 
voured the  contents  of  the  plates.  Marco  was 
told  that  these  girls  remained  in  the  monasteries 
until  the  very  day  of  their  marriage. 

The  priests  of  the  monasteries  at  once  attracted 
'  rro's  attention,  so  singular  was  their  aspect, 


AMONG  THE  HINDOOS. 

and  so  strange  their  mode  of  living.  Many  of 
them  seemed  to  be  very  old  men,  with  long 
snowy  beards  and  bent  forms ;  yet  they  had  fresh, 
dark  complexions,  and  were  very  active  in  their 
movements.  Marco  was  told  that  they  often 
lived  to  be  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  even  two  hun- 
dred years  old ;  but  he  had  now  been  in  India 
long  enough  not  to  believe  everything  he  heard. 
The  priests  lived  on  nothing  but  rice,  apples  and 
milk,  and  for  a  beverage  drank  a  curious  mixture 
of  quicksilver  and  sulphur.  In  some  of  the  mon- 
asteries the  priests  always  went  perfectly  naked, 
even  in  winter,  and  slept  in  the  open  air;  and 
led  a  very  severe  and  self-denying  life.  The 
only  symbol  of  their  sacred  office  was  a  little 
copper  or  bronze  ox  (an  animal  they  worshipped)^ 
which  they  wore  on  their  foreheads. 

These  priests  were  always  very  careful  not  to 
kill  any  living  thing;  for  they  thought  that  not  only 
animals  and  insects,  but  even  fruits  and  flowers, 
had  souls.  They  would  not  harm  so  much  as  a  fly 
or  a  worm  ;  and  would  not  eat  apples  until  they 
were  all  dried  up,  for  they  supposed  them  when 
fresh  to  be  alive,  and  only  dead  when  they  were 
shrivelled. 


174  MARCO   POLO. 

When  a  young  man  sought  to  become  a  priest 
in  the  monasteries,  he  underwent  what  seemed 
to  Marco  a  very  amusing  trial.  On  arriving  at 
the  monasteries,  the  fairest  young  girls  belonging 
to  it  came  forth  to  meet  him;  and  gathering 
around  him,  overwhelmed  him  with  kisses  and 
embraces.  The  old  priests,  meanwhile,  stood  by 
and  keenly  watched  him.  If  he  betrayed  any 
pleasure  at  the  caresses  of  the  girls,  he  was  at 
once  rejected  and  sent  into  the  outer  world 
again ;  but  if  he  submitted  to  them  coldly,  and 
with  unmoved  countenance,  he  was  admitted  to 
che  priesthood. 

As  the  envoy  of  the  khan,  Marco  was  admitted 
into  "the  best  society"  of  the  places  that  he 
visited ;  and  he  was  much  struck  with  the 
manners  and  virtues  of  the  higher  class  of  H  indoos. 
These  comprised  the  class  which  we  know  as  Brah- 
mins. He  could  not  fail  to  notice  their  high  sense 
of  honor  in  their  dealings  with  each  other ;  their 
truthfulness  and  probity;  the  temperance  and 
purity  of  their  lives.  They  ate  no  flesh  and 
drank  no  wine,  and  as  husbands  were  models 
of  fidelity.  The  Brahmins,  to  designate  their 
rank,  wore  a  long  silk  thread  over  the  shoulder, 


AMONG   THJ=:   HINDOOS.  1/5 

and  across  the  breast ;  and  so  do  the  Brahmins  of 
our  own  time.  The  only  habit  they  had  which 
Marco  did  not  like,  was  that  of  chewing  betel 
leaves.  This  made  their  gums  very  red,  and  was 
thought  to  be  healthy ;  but  it  caused  them  to  be 
constantly  spitting. 

Intelligent  as  the  Brahmins  seemed,  they  were 
as  completely  under  the  influence  of  superstition 
and  magic  as  the  lowest  and  most  ignorant  of 
their  country  folk.  When  a  Brahmin  merchant 
was  about  to  make  a  bargain  for  some  goods,  he 
rose  at  sunlight,  went  out,  and  caused  his  shadow 
to  be  measured.  If  it  was  of  a  certain  length,  he 
went  on  with  the  trade ;  if  not  he  postponed  it  to 
another  day.  This  is  perhaps  the  origin  of  the 
Eastern  greeting,  "  May  your  shadow  never  be 
less !"  If  a  Brahmin  proposed  to  buy  an  animal, 
he  went  where  it  was,  and  observed  whether  the 
animal  approached  him  from  a  lucky  direction. 
If  so,  he  bought  it ;  but  if  not,  he  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  If,  when  a  Brahmin  issued 
from  his  house,  he  heard  a  man  sneeze  in  a  way 
which  seemed  to  him  of  bad  omen,  he  turned 
around,  went  into  his  house  again,  and  waited 
till  the  man  who  had  sneezed  unluckily  was  quite 


MARCO  POLO. 

out  of  sight.  In  the  same  way  a  Brahmin  who, 
walking  along  a  road,  saw  a  bird  approaching 
from  the  left,  at  once  turned  on  his  heel  and 
went  the  other  way. 

On  his  journey  northward,  Marco  passed  through 
the  famous  valley  of  Golconda,  from  whence 
came,  and  still  come,  the  largest  and  most  beauti- 
ful diamonds  in  the  world.  He  found  an  aged 
queen  reigning  there  who,  though  she  had  been 
a  widow  for  forty  years,  was  still  mourning  for 
her  husband.  She  received  Marco  with  a  cordial 
welcome,  and  entertained  him  with  feasts,  dances 
and  music  in  her  palace.  He  delighted  to  wander 
in  the  picturesque  valleys  from  which  the  most 
beautiful  gems  in  the  world  were  procured;  to 
see  the  swift  mountain  torrents,  as,  after  a  storm, 
they  swept  through  the  declivities ;  and  to  watch 
the  diamond-hunters  who,  when  the  freshet  was 
over,  hunted  for  their  precious  merchandise  in 
the  valleys  through  which  the  waters  had  passed. 
He  was  told,  at  Golconda,  the  same  story 
about  the  eagles  and  the  diamonds,  that  we 
read  in  Sinbad  the  Sailor's  adventures  in  the 
"Arabian  Nights;"  how  the  people  threw  huge 
pieces  of  meat  into  the  deep,  inaccessible  pits,  to 


AMONG  THE  HINDOOS.  177 

which  the  diamonds  lying  on  the  bottom  stuck 
how  the  eagles  swooped  down,  caught  the 
jewelled  flesh  in  their  talons,  and  on  rising 
again  were  so  frightened  by  the  cries  and  frantic 
gestures  of  the  men,  that  they  let  their  precious 
prey  drop ;  and  how  the  men  thus  secured  the 
diamonds  which  they  could  not  otherwise  reach. 
But  Marco  knew  how  fond  the  Hindoos  were  of 
telling  marvellous  tales ;  and  did  not  give  too 
easy  a  belief  to  what  he  heard. 

Marco  saw  some  of  the  white  eagles  that  were 
said  to  render  this  great  service  to  the  diamond- 
hunters  ;  but  observed  that  most  of  the  eagles  in 
India  were  black  as  jet,  like  crows,  and  were  much 
larger  than  those  he  had  seen  in  Europe.  He 
also  saw  some  curious  bald  owls,  with  neither 
wings  nor  feathers ;  peacocks,  larger  than  he  had 
ever  before  seen ;  parrots  of  every  hue  and  size, 
which  he  greatly  admired,  especially  some  very 
small  red  and  white  ones ;  and  chickens,  altogether 
different  from  European  fowl. 

On  reaching  the  province  of  Coilon,  where  he 
found  many  Christians  and  Jews,  as  well  as  Mo- 
hammedans and  Hindoos,  he  was  deeply  inter- 
ested in  seeing  the  growth  of  pepper,  and  es- 


178  MARCO  POLO. 

pecially  of  indigo,  the  latter  being  very  plentiful 
It  was  made,  he  observed,  of  an  herb,  which  was 
soaked  a  long  time  in  water ;  after  which,  being 
exposed  to  the  hot  sun,  it  boiled,  grew  solid, 
and  thus  became  the  indigo  which  everybody 
knows.  The  people  of  this  province  were  very 
black,  many  shades  darker  than  most  of  the 
Hindoos ,  and  were  less  civilized  than  the  natives 
Marco  had  hitherto  seen.  As  he  passed  through 
the  vast  forests  of  this  part  of  India,  he  espied  in- 
numerable herds  of  monkeys  of  every  shape  and 
hue,  which  threw  down  branches  and  nuts  at  him 
as  he  went  along  ;  and  now  and  then  he  saw  leop- 
ards, enormous  wildcats,  and  even  lions,  prowl- 
ing about  on  the  edge  of  the  woods,  and  in  the 
neighboring  jungles. 

After  travelling  for  many  weeks  in  the  interior 
of  India,  Marco  at  last  reached  the  seashore 
again,  and  found  himself  on  the  western  coast  of 
the  continent.  He  then  went  on  shipboard,  and 
passed  from  place  to  place  by  water,  thus  travers- 
ing the  same  coast  along  which,  two  hundred 
years  later,  Vasco  da  Gama  sailed,  and  established 
the  dominion  of  Portugal. 

Marco   soon   became   aware  that    he  was    in 


AMONG  THE  HINDOOS. 

a  dangerous  par.  of  the  world;  for  the  coast  of 
Malabar  was  swarmed,  at  that  time,  with  pirates, 
who  had  it  pretty  much  their  own  way  with 
strange  vessels.  Once  or  twice  the  ship  in  which 
Marco  sailed  was  hotly  pursued  by  these  free- 
booters of  the  sea  ;  but  happily  she  was  able  to 
make  port  safely  each  time.  Marco  learned  that 
the  pirates  were  in  the  habit  of  signalling  to  each 
other,  when  a  merchant  vessel  appeared,  all  along 
the  coast,  by  means  of  brilliant  lights.  They  were 
stationed  five  miles  apart,  on  a  line  a  hundred 
miles  long ;  and  these  lights,  appearing  first  on 
one  corsair  ship,  and  then  on  the  next,  tele- 
graphed the  news  of  a  coming  prize  throughout 
this  distance ;  so  that  the  poor  merchantman  had 
usually  but  little  chance  of  escape.  The  mer- 
chantmen, therefore,  always  went  strongly  manned 
and  armed;  and  more  than  one  desperate  sea- 
fight  did  Marco  witness  on  his  way  northward  to 
Bombay.  He  was  told  that  the  pirates,  on  seizing 
a  ship,  took  all  her  goods,  but  did  not  harm  the 
crew ;  saying  to  them,  "  Go  and  get  another 
cargo,  so  that  we  may  catch  you  again  and  rid 
you  of  it." 

Despite   the   pirates,    Marco   found   the  west 


I»O  MARCO  POLO, 

coast  of  India  fairly  bustling  with  commerce. 
Every  harbor  seemed  full  of  ships,  and  every 
port  full  of  store-houses ;  the  trade  of  the  coast 
extended  to  Arabia  and  Egypt,  to  Africa,  Austral- 
asia and  Cathay.  On  the  wharves  of  the  sea- 
port towns  he  saw  the  greatest  variety  of  cos. 
tumes  and  features,  from  the  sober  Parsee  in  his 
long  flowing  robe,  to  the  heavy-turbaned  Arab 
and  the  Persian  with  his  gorgeously  embroidered 
sack. 

Even  used  as  he  was  to  the  great  warehouses 
of  China  and  Cathay,  he  was  astonished  at  the 
beautiful  cloths  and  articles  of  skilful  workman- 
ship that  he  saw  at  Malabar  and  Bombay;  the 
finely  dressed  leather,  the  rich  embroideries,  and 
the  luxurious  trappings  for  men,  horses,  and  ele- 
phants ;  the  ornaments  and  knicknacks  of  brass, 
gold,  silver  and  precious  gems  ;  and  he  was  forced 
to  confess  that  the  bazaars  of  India  out-rivalled 
those  of  any  Oriental  land  he  had  yet  visited. 

Marco  again  set  sail,  and  his  ship  now  took  its 
course  across  the  Indian  Ocean  towards  the  coast 
of  Africa ;  for  his  mission  would  not  be  wholly 
fulfilled  until  he  had  been  to  certain  islands  and 
kingdoms  of  that  continent.  He  had  already  been 


AMONG  THE   HINDOOS.  l8l 

absent  from  Cathay  for  more  than  a  year ;  and 
found  himself  now  quite  as  near  his  Venetian 
home  as  to  the  court  of  the  great  khan.  There 
were  moments,  as  he  sped  across  the  Indian 
Ocean,  when  he  was  sorely  tempted  to  order  the 
sailors  to  turn  northward,  to  land  in  Egypt  and 
make  his  way  across  that  country  to  Alexandria, 
and  there  watch  the  opportunity  to  take  pas- 
sage in  a  Venetian  galley  to  the  city  of  his  birth. 

But  his  father  and  uncle  were  far  away  in  Cathay, 
and  Marco  could  not  desert  them.  He  knew 
that  if  he  did,  the  khan  would  revenge  himself 
for  such  a  desertion  upon  his  kinsmen.  Besides, 
Marco  had  been  overwhelmed  with  favors,  wealth 
and  power  by  Kublai  Khan ;  and  to  prove  false 
to  his  pledge  that  he  would  faithfully  return,  was 
an  act  of  baseness  of  which  the  high-souled  young 
Venetian  was  incapable. 

So  he  kept  on  his  course  across  the  ocean,  re- 
solved  to  see  all  of  the  world  that  he  could  ;  and, 
having  accomplished  all  the  objects  for  which  he 
had  set  out,  to  return  with  his  report  to  Cathay. 
On  the  way  he  stopped  at  two  islands,  called  the 
"  Male"  and  "Female,"  whose  dusky  inhabitants  he 
found  to  be  Christians ;  but  they  were  very  differ- 


182  MARCO  POLO. 

ent  Christians  from  those  to  whom  Marco  had  been 
used  in  Europe.  It  appeared  that  all  the  men 
dwelt  on  the  "  Male"  island,  and  all  the  women 
on  the  "  Female,"  thirty  miles  away,  and  that  the 
men  crossed  over  and  visited  their  wives  and 
daughters  once  a  year,  remaining  with  them  for 
three  months  and  then  returning  to  their  own 
abode.  The  sons  lived  with  their  mothers  until 
they  were  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  they  were 
thought  to  be  old  enough  to  join  the  community 
of  their  own  sex.  The  two  islands  were  ruled 
over,  not  by  a  king,  but  by  a  bishop ;  and  Marco 
was  much  amused  to  observe  that  this  holy  potent- 
ate, instead  of  wearing  a  mitre  and  embroidered 
robes,  went  almost  naked. 

Marco  landed  at  another  island,  several  hundred 
miles  south  of  the  "  Male"  and  "  Female"  islands> 
where  the  people  were  also  Christians.  They 
claimed  to  have  all  sorts  of  miraculous  powers, 
such  as  the  power  to  change  the  direction  of  the 
wind  by  their  enchantments.  The  island  was  a 
very  remote,  solitary,  dismal  place,  frequented  by 
pirates,  and  Marco  was  very  glad  to  get  away 
from  it  after  making  as  brief  a  sojourn  as  possible. 

His  next  stopping  place  was  the  great  island  of 


AMONG  THE   HINDOOS.  183 

Madagascar,  off  the  east  coast  of  Africa,  which 
he  found  inhabited  by  two  races.  One  of  these 
was  Arab,  and  they  were  men  of  light  complex- 
ions and  were  well  dressed  ;  the  other  was  Negro, 
as  black  as  Erebus.  Marco  saw  in  Madagascar 
a  large  variety  of  animals,  wild  and  domestic,  and 
learned  that  the  favorite  food  of  the  people  was 
the  flesh  of  camels,  which  he  had  never  known  to 
be  eaten  elsewhere.  One  species  of  bird  he  saw, 
enormous  in  size,  and  formidable  to  men  and 
beasts,  which,  it  was  said,  could  lift  an  elephant 
high  in  the  air.  Marco  was  told  that  when  one 
of  these  birds — they  were  probably  what  we  know 
as  condors — was  hungry,  he  seized  an  elephant, 
and  raising  him  in  the  air,  let  him  fall  to  the  earth, 
crushing  him  to  death ;  and  then  fed  upon  his 
carcass. 

Crossing  to  the  main  coast  of  Africa,  Marco 
passed  through  the  country  of  Zanzibar,  where 
he  saw  negroes  of  gigantic  size,  quite  terrible  to 
behold,  who  could  carry  as  much  in  their  arms  or 
on  their  shoulders  as  any  four  common  men. 
They  were  very  black  and  savage,  and  went  quite 
naked ;  their  mouths  were  huge,  their  teeth  very 
regular  and  glistening  white.  The  women  struck 


MARCO   POLO. 

Marco  as  singularly  hideous,  with  their  big  eyes 
and  mouths,  and  their  coarse,  clumsy  shapes.  He 
heard  that  this  people  were  very  warlike,  and 
fought  on  the  backs  of  elephants  and  camels, 
fifteen  or  twenty  men  being  mounted  on  each 
animal ;  and  that  their  weapons  consisted  of  staves, 
spears,  and  rude  swords.  As  they  went  into 
battle,  they  drank  a  very  strong  liquor,  which  they 
also  gave  to  their  elephants  and  camels,  rendering 
both  the  beasts  and  their  riders  extremely  fierce 
and  bloodthirsty. 

Marco  saw  in  Zanzibar,  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life,  an  animal  with  which  we  are  all  now  quite 
familiar — the  giraffe ;  and  admired  exceedingly 
its  beautiful  stripes,  graceful  motions,  and  gentle 
actions.  He  also  saw  white  sheep  with  black 
heads,  and  very  large  elephants ;  the  latter  were 
hunted  for  their  tusks,  which,  as  ivory,  found  its 
way  to  the  remote  marts  of  the  world. 


MARCO  POLO,  185 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MARCO  POLO  IN  AFRICA. 

|ROM  Zanzibar,  Marco  ventured  into  a 
famous  African  country,  very  ancient  in 
its  history,  and  remarkable  as  the  early 
seat  of  Christianity  on  the  "  dark  continent." 
This  was  Abyssinia  ;  a  land  which,  in  our  own 
time,  has  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention,  as 
the  scene  of  a  war  between  the  English  and  the 
savage  King  Theodore. 

In  Marco's  time,  Abyssinia  was  called  "  Middle 
India,"  and  was  renowned  as  a  great  kingdom, 
inhabited  by  a  bold  and  warlike  race.  He  was 
therefore  naturally  very  anxious  to  visit  it,  es- 
pecially as  he  knew  the  Abyssinians  to  be 
Christians. 

The  journey  thither  from  Zanzibar  was  long, 
difficult  and  dangerous.  The  wild,  black  tribes 
of  the  coast  constantly  menaced  him  and  his 


1 86  MARCO  POLO. 

party;  and  sometimes,  as  he  proceeded  up  the 
rivers  in  the  rude  canoes  furnished  to  him  by 
friendly  natives,  he  was  assailed  by  showers  of 
arrows  and  javelins,  some  of  which  did  fatal 
work  among  his  escort. 

Nor  were  the  menaces  of  the  wild  beasts  to  be 
despised.  In  the  night,  especially,  the  deep  and 
awful  stillness  of  the  misty  African  jungle  was 
roughly  broken  by  the  roaring  of  hungry  lions, 
and  the  bellowing  of  hippopotami  and  rhinocer- 
oses. A  constant  watch  was  the  only  safety 
from  the  fell  assaults  of  these  half-famished 
monsters. 

But  Marco  and  his  companions  had  now  be- 
come quite  used  to  "  roughing  it."  His  experi- 
ence in  the  remotest  parts  of  Tartary  and  China, 
his  adventures  in  the  islands  and  in  the  depths  of 
Hindoostan,  had  not  only  hardened  his  sense  of 
peril,  but  had  taught  him  how  to  pass  through 
the  dangers  of  the  jungle  and  the  forest.  In  due 
time,  the  Tartar  train  crossed  the  confines  of 
Abyssinia,  and  found  themselves  on  the  way  to 
its  capital. 

Marco  at  once  made  himself  known  as  an 
European  and  a  Christian;  and  his  light  complexion 


IN   AFRICA.  187 

and  regular  features  showed  the  Abyssinians that 
he  was  not  deceiving  them,  in  spite  of  his  Oriental 
dress  and  company.  No  sooner  did  they  recog- 
nize him  as  a  brother  in  religion,  than  the  natives 
overwhelmed  him  with  the  warmth  of  their 
welcome.  They  entertained  him  on  such  rude 
fare  as  their  huts  provided  ;  they  guided  him,  in 
strong  companies,  through  dangerous  parts  of  the 
country ;  and  they  paddled  him  in  their  biggest 
canoes  across  the  lakes  and  up  the  reed-bordered 
rivers. 

The  young  traveller  observed  all  that  he  saw 
and  heard  with  the  keenest  interest ;  for  he 
wished  to  carry  back  as  minute  an  account  as 
possible  of  this  land  of  sable  Christians.  He 
soon  learned  that  it  was  ruled  over  by  a  power- 
ful emperor,  under  whom  there  were  six  kingsr 
each  of  whom  reigned  over  the  six  large  prov- 
inces into  which  Abyssinia  was  divided.  Three 
of  these  kings  were  Christians,  and  three  were 
Mohammedans,  the  subjects  of  each  being  of  the 
same  faith  as  their  sovereign.  The  emperor 
himself  was  a  Christian.  Marco  also  found  that 
there  were  many  Jews  in  Abyssinia :  but  they 
were  not  at  all  like  the  long-nosed,  keen-eyed, 


1 88  MARCO  POLO. 

heavily-bearded  Jews  whom  he  remembered  at 
Venice. 

Very  different,  too,  were  the  Christian  customs 
of  this  half-savage  country  from  those  to  which 
he  was  accustomed  at  home.  The  Christians 
distinguished  themselves  from  the  Mohamme- 
dans and  Jews,  by  having  three  marks  branded 
on  their  faces;  one  from  the  forehead  to  the 
middle  of  the  nose,  and  one  on  each  cheek;  and 
it  was  the  branding  of  these  marks  with  a  red- 
hot  iron  which  constituted  their  baptism. 

It  was  soon  evident  to  Marco  that  he  was  in 
the  midst  of  a  very  warlike  people.  Everywhere 
there  appeared  troops  of  soldiers ;  and  very 
often  he  passed  large  camps  teeming  with 
warriors.  Nearly  the  whole  male  population 
seemed  to  be  expert  in  the  use  of  arms,  and 
ready  at  a  moment's  warning  to  obey  a  summons 
to  the  battle-field.  On  the  Abyssinian  frontier 
were  two  other  warlike  nations,  Adel  and  Nubia; 
and  the  emperor  was  almost  constantly  at  war 
with  one  or  the  other. 

Not  many  years  before  Marco's  visit,  the 
Abyssinian  monarch  had  engaged  in  a  terrific 
contest  with  the  king  of  Adel.  The  cause  of 


IN   AFRICA.  189 

this  war  was  a  singular  one ;  but  it  showed 
Marco,  when  he  heard  it  related,  how  devoted  the 
Abyssinians  were  to  their  religion.  A  Christian 
bishop  was  sent  by  the  emperor  on  a  pilgrimage 
to  Christ's  Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem.  Having 
safely  performed  his  errand  at  the  Holy  City, 
the  bishop  set  out  on  his  return.  His  way 
lay  through  Adel.  Now  it  happened  that  the 
king  and  people  of  that  country  were  intense 
Mohammedans,  and  bitterly  hated  the  Christians ; 
so  when  the  bishop  came  along,  he  was  seized 
and  brought  before  the  governor  of  the  province. 
The  latter  urged  him  to  desert  his  religion,  and 
become  a  follower  of  the  prophet.  But  the 
bishop  stuck  firmly  to  his  faith.  Then  the 
governor  ordered  that  he  should  be  taken  out 
and  circumcised.  Thus  cruelly  outraged,  the 
venerable  prelate  returned  to  Abyssinia,  and  lost 
no  time  in  apprizing  the  emperor  of  what  had 
happened. 

The  Abyssinian  monarch  was  so  enraged  at  the 
bishop's  sad  tale,  that  he  wept  and  gnashed  his 
teeth ;  and  calling  out  to  his  courtiers,  swore 
that  the  bishop  should  be  avenged  as  never  in- 
jured man  was  before.  Collecting  an  immense 


IOO  MARCO  POLO. 

army  he  advanced  at  the  head  of  it  into  the 
heart  of  Adel,  where  he  met  the  opposing  forces 
of  his  mortal  foe.  The  battle  was  long  and 
terrific ;  but  it  ended  in  a  sweeping  victory  for 
the  invaders.  The  army  of  Adel  broke  and  fled ; 
and  the  Abyssinians,  infuriated  and  intoxicated 
by  their  triumph,  laid  waste  and  destroyed  the 
largest  towns  and  fairest  fields  of  Adel,  and  put 
many  of  the  people  to  the  sword.  Having  thus 
wreaked  his  vengeance  for  the  bishop's  wrong,  the 
emperor  returned  to  his  own  country. 

Marco  found  in  Abyssinia  the  greatest  abund- 
ance and  variety  of  production,  and  the  richest 
and  most  profuse  vegetation.  The  natives  lived 
on  rice,  wild  game,  milk  and  sesame.  Among  the 
animals  he  saw  giraffes,  lions,  leopards  and 
huge  apes,  the  largest  and  most  intelligent  he 
had  yet  encountered.  The  feathered  creation, 
as  it  appeared  in  Abyssinia,  struck  him  with 
wonder  and  admiration.  The  domestic  fowls  he 
thought  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world ;  the 
ostriches  seemed  "as  large  as  asses;"  and  the 
parrots  exceeded  in  variety  of  color  and  splendor 
of  plumage  anything  he  had  ever  imagined.  He 
passed  through  many  thriving  towns  in  some  of 


IN  AFRICA.  191 

which  he  observed  manufactories  of  cotton  and 
other  cloths;  and  by  many  lofty,  though  rudely 
built  castles,  perched  on  high  cliffs,  or  on  the 
slopes  of  wooded  hills. 

Marco  would  have  liked  to  linger  long  in  Abys- 
sinia, which  was  a  country  that  greatly  attracted 
him  on  many  accounts.  He  would  have  liked, 
also,  to  push  on  further,  and  explore  all  the 
wonders  of  Egypt  and  the  Nile.  But  he  had 
now  been  away  from  the  court  of  the  khan  much 
longer  than  he  had  intended ;  and  he  knew  that 
both  the  khan,  and  his  father  and  uncle,  must  by 
this  time  be  looking  anxiously  for  his  return. 

He  was  forced,  therefore,  reluctantly,  to  turn 
his  face  eastward  again.  During  his  travels,  he 
had  gathered  many  curiosities  of  the  strange  places 
he  had  visited ;  and  he  had  lost  a  number  of  the 
Tartars  who  had  formed  a  part  of  his  train.  He 
had  now  with  him  only  enough  men  to  bear  his 
baggage,  and  to  act  as  a  guard.  Seeking  a  port 
whence  to  embark,  he  found  it  necessary  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  great  and  flourishing  city  of  Aden,  the 
port  which  was  the  centre  of  all  the  commerce  of 
the  African  and  Indian  seas.  Arriving  at  Aden, 
Marco  was  surprised  at  its  wealth  and  the  vast 


192  MARCO  POLO. 

amount  of  shipping  that  lay  in  its  harbor;  and  at 
the  magnificence  of  the  sultan  who  ruled  the  city 
and  the  country  round  about.  He  had  no  diffi- 
culty, in  so  busy  a  place,  in  chartering  a  vessel 
to  take  him  and  his  company  back  to  Tartary; 
and  ere  many  days  once  more  found  himself 
on  the  great  deep,  full  on  the  way  to  Kambalu. 

The  voyage  was  a  long,  tedious,  and  stormy 
one.  Sometimes  Marco  despaired  of  ever  seeing 
the  land  again,  so  furious  were  the  cyclones  and 
tempests  of  wind  and  rain  ;  sometimes  they  were 
becalmed  for  days  and  weeks.  Marco  landed  at 
many  of  the  islands  he  had  visited  on  his  out- 
ward voyage,  and  saw  some  which  he  had  before 
passed  by ;  but  he  did  not,  throughout  the  long 
transit,  often  touch  at  points  on  the  mainland. 

At  last,  however,  the  long  voyage  was  over. 
The  coast  of  Cathay  appeared  in  a  long,  dim  line 
at  the  horizon ;  then  familiar  cities  and  towns 
came  into  view ;  finally,  the  good  ship  neared 
the  port  whence  Marco  had  set  out ;  and  it  was 
with  a  full  heart  that  he  jumped  upon  the  shore, 
and  knew  that  ere  long  he  would  be  clasped  in 
his  father's  arms,  and  receive  the  welcome  and 
the  praises  of  the  great  khan. 


IN   AFRICA.  193 

His  return  to  Kambalu  was  celebrated  by  re- 
joicings in  which  the  whole  court  took  part ;  for 
the  Tartar  nobles  had  never  known  of  so  great 
and  indefatigable  a  traveller  as  Marco  had  proved 
himself  to  be.  His  exploits,  the  dangers  by  sea, 
savages  and  beasts  through  which  he  had  passed, 
the  wonderful  countries  and  curious  customs  he 
had  witnessed,  and  the  valuable  services  he  had 
rendered  to  the  khan,  made  him  a  real  hero,  even 
among  generals  who  had  fought  great  battles,  and 
nobles  who  wielded  powers  inferior  only  to  those 
of  Kublai  Khan  himself. 

Nicolo  was  proud  of  his  son's  achievements,  and 
was  never  done  praising  him.  The  khan  grew 
fonder  than  ever  of  Marco,  and  lavished  the  cost- 
liest gifts  and  the  rarest  favors  upon  him.  He 
made  him  a  noble  of  his  empire ;  he  called  him 
almost  daily  to  sup  with  him  ;  he  offerred  to  marry 
him  to  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  rich  and  high- 
born maidens  of  his  realm ;  he  gave  him  a  stable 
full  of  beautiful  horses;  and  consulted  him  upon 
the  most  important  affairs  of  state. 

By  and  by  the  warmth  of  the  khan's  affection 
for  Marco  began  to  fill  the  proud  and  fierce 
breasts  of  the  Tartar  barons  with  jealousy  ;  and 


MARCO  POLO 

now  Marco  had  to  feel  the  bitterness  as  well  as 
the  sweets  of  good  fortune.  He  was  constantly 
threatened  with  snares  and  assassination.  He 
was  forced  to  go  armed,  and  protected  by  a  strong 
guard,  lest  a  secret  attack  should  be  made  upon 
him.  So  his  life  at  the  court,  surrounded  as  it 
was  with  every  luxury  and  privilege  that  heart 
could  wish,  became  anything  but  a  comfortable 
one. 

Nicolo  and  Maffeo  Polo,  as  well  as  Marco, 
aroused  the  hostility  of  many  of  the  barons ;  and 
so  unpleasant  did  their  position  at  the  court  begin 
to  be,  despite  the  fondness  and  favor  of  the  mon- 
arch, that  they  often  talked  together  anxiously 
about  the  prospect  of  their  being  able  to  return 
to  Venice. 

Sixteen  years  had  elapsed  since  the  day  on 
which  they  had  bidden  farewell  to  their  native 
city.  The  two  elder  Polos  were  growing  old  ; 
their  hair  was  gray,  their  faces  were  wrinkled,  and 
their  strength  was  waning.  Marco  himself,  who 
had  departed  from  Venice  a  stripling,  was  now  a 
stalwart,  broad-shouldered  man,  between  thirty 
and  forty,  with  a  heavy  brown  beard  and  the 
strength  of  a  lion.  Their  mission  in  Cathay  had 


IN   AFRICA.  193 

been  accomplished  ;  for  they  had  persuaded  the 
khan  to  be  a  Christian,  had  converted  many  of  his 
subjects,  and  had  acquired  great  wealth  for 
themselves. 

They  finally  resolved  to  make  a  vigorous  at- 
tempt to  persuade  Kublai  Khan  to  allow  them  to 
depart,  and  to  provide  them  with  the  means  of 
doing  so  safely.  The  first  day,  they  said  to  each 
other,  that  Kublai  seemed  in  a  particularly  good 
and  indulgent  humor,  they  would  proffer  their 
petition. 

Not  long  after  this,  the  khan  gave  a  great 
feast;  and  afterwards  witnessed,  with  his  court, 
the  exciting  sports  with  which  he  was  wont  to  be- 
guile  the  pleasant  afternoon  hours,  after  he  had 
eaten  and  drunk  his  fill. 

Retiring,  then,  to  the  shade  of  his  park,  Kublai 
Khan  reclined  under  the  trees,  and  called  about 
him  his  favorite  courtiers  and  wives.  Near  him 
were  the  three  Polos,  who  observed  that  the  mon- 
arch was  in  high  spirits.  He  jested  pleasantly 
with  his  companions,  and  lolled  luxuriously  on  his 
cushions. 

The  Polos  gave  each  other  significant  glances  ; 
and  at  a  favorable  moment,  Nicolo  advanced 


ig6  MARCO   POLO. 

and  prostrated  himself  at  the  monarch's  feet 
"  I  have  an  immense  favor  to  ask  of  your 
majesty,"  he  said,  clasping  his  hands,  and  raising 
his  eyes  to  Kublai's  face,  "  and  implore  you  to 
listen  kindly  to  it." 

"  And  what  favor  can  you  ask,  good  Venetian, 
that  I  will  not  grant  ?  You  and  your  brother, 
and  your  brave,  stout  son,  have  served  me  nobly 
these  many  years;  how  can  I  refuse  what  you 
ask?" 

"  But  I  fear  to  offend  your  majesty,  by  asking 
for  more  than  you  are  willing  to  give.  We  beg  for 
no  more  riches,  no  more  honors.  These  your 
majesty  has  lavished  upon  us  far  beyond  our  de- 
serts. You  have  loaded  us  with  your  favors  and 
your  gold.  It  is,  indeed,  many,  many  years  that 
we  have  lived  in  the  sunshine  of  your  royal 
countenance;  so  many,  that  my  brother  and  I 
have  waxed  old  in  your  service.  And  after  this 
long  time,  sire,  our  hearts  yearn  for  our  native 
land,  for  those  beloved  ones  of  whom  we  have  not 
heard  a  word ;  and  we  would  fain  return,  to  tell 
Europe  of  the  wonders  of  your  vast  realm,  and 
the  lofty  virtues  that  dwell  in  your  royal  breast. 
Pray,  your  majesty,  give  us  permission  to  go  back 


IN   AFRICA.  197 

to  Venice ;  that  is  the  petition  we  would  lay  at 
your  feet." 

The  khan  at  first  frowned,  and  impatiently  shook 
his  head ;  then  smiled,  and  said : 

"  Venetian,  I  cannot  let  you  go.  You  are  too 
useful  to  me.  Whom  could  I  send  as  an  envoy 
to  my  remote  provinces,  if  Marco  were  not  here? 
Who  could  teach  my  people  how  to  be  Christians, 
if  you  departed  ?  No,  no,  stay  in  content,  Vene- 
tians ;  and  whatever  your  present  possessions  may 
be,  they  shall  be  doubled  from  my  treasure-house. 
Whatever  you  desire  to  make  you  rich,  to  give 
you  pastime,  to  afford  you  ease  and  content  in 
Cathay,  shall  be  yours.  Choose  your  dwelling, 
your  horses,  your  servants,  your  guards,  and  they 
shall  be  granted  to  you.  But  think  not  of  going 
hence  ;  it  cannot  be." 

Nicolo  continued  to  plead  with  all  the  eloquence 
he  could  command ;  but  his  prayers  were  quite  in 
vain.  The  khan  was  good-naturedly  deaf  to  his 
entreaties.  He  then  tried  another  way  of  gaining 
his  object. 

"  Sire,"  said  Nicolo,  "  Our  good  fortune  here, 
and  your  bounteous  favor,  have  made  us  bitter 
enemies  among  your  barons  and  courtiers.  They 


198  MARCO  POLO. 

are  jealous  to  see  the  affection  of  their  monarch 
bestowed  upon  foreigners ;  and  they  hate  to  per- 
ceive  all  your  most  secret  trusts  and  counsels 
confided  to  us,  who  are  of  strange  birth  and 
blood.  Should  we  depart,  these  nobles  would  no 
longer  entertain  feelings  so  angry,  and  would 
once  more  gather,  a  united  band,  about  your 
throne.  For  the  sake,  then,  of  peace  in  your 
court  and  palace,  grant  our  prayer." 

The  khan  looked  around  among  his  courtiers 
with  lowering  and  threatening  brow. 

"Who  dares,"  he  cried,  "to  murmur  at  my 
sovereign  will;  who  would  forbid  my  choice  of 
such  counsellors  as  I  please  to  have  ?  Point  out, 
Venetian,  the  men  of  whom  you  speak !" 

"  Sire,  I  see  none  among  those  who  are  present ; 
nor  do  I  wish  to  breed  further  discontent  and 
quarrels  in  your  palace,  by  naming  those  who  are 
jealous  of  us.  But  I  assure  you,  there  are  such  ; 
nor  will  they  ever  be  at  rest  until  we  have  for- 
ever set  our  faces  towards  the  west." 

The  khan,  however,  was  obdurate;  and  although 
the  Polos  again  and  again  besought  him  to  let 
them  go,  he  would  not  budge  an  inch  from  his 
resolution  to  keep  them  with  him.  There  seemed 


IN  AFRICA.  199 

to  be  no  help  for  them.  The  Polos  could  not  hope 
to  escape  by  stealth  from  Cathay  ;  for  every  high- 
road  was  guarded  by  faithful  troops  of  the  khan, 
and  his  couriers,  with  their  relays  of  horses,  could 
travel  much  more  swiftly  than  they  could  hope 
to  do. 

They  once  more  reluctantly  gave  up  the  hope 
of  returning  home,  and  began  to  say  to  each  other 
that,  in  all  probability,  they  were  destined  never 
to  set  eyes  on  Venice  more,  but  to  live  and  die  in 
Cathay.  Marco  resumed  his  idle  life  at  court,  find- 
ing a  relief  from  its  pleasures  in  writing  out  an  ac- 
count of  his  travels.  In  the  early  summer,  he  went 
in  the  khan's  innumerable  train  to  the  imperial 
hunting  grounds  in  the  north  ;  and  as  he  had  now 
become  one  of  the  most  stalwart  and  skilful  hunts- 
men  of  the  court,  he  plunged  with  new  ardor  into 
the  lusty  sports  of  the  forest  and  the  jungle. 

Marco  little  thought  as,  the  summer  over,  he 
was  returning  again,  in  the  wake  of  the  imperial 
caravanserai,  to  Kambalu,  that  events  had  hap- 
pened in  his  absence  which  would  hasten  the  re- 
turn of  himself,  his  father  and  his  uncle  to 
Venice ;  and  on  arriving  at  the  palace,  was  over- 
joyed to  find  that  good  fortune  had  suddenly 
opened  a  \vay  for  their  final  departure. 


2OO  MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

JHILE  the  khan  had  been  away  with  his 
court  at  the  hunting  grounds,  three  Per- 
sian ambassadors,  with  a  gorgeous  train, 
had  arrived  at  Kambalu.  Finding  the  khan 
away,  they  resolved  to  await  his  return,  and  were 
therefore  sumptuously  lodged  in  his  palace.  No 
sooner  had  the  khan  heard  of  their  arrival,  than 
he  gave  a  splendid  banquet  in  their  honor  ;  and, 
having  feasted  on  the  bounteous  good  things  that 
his  stewards  set  before  them,  the  ambassadors 
were  summoned  into  the  garden,  where  the  khan 
reclined  in  the  midst  of  his  women,  to  inform  him 
of  the  object  of  their  visit.  The  three  Polos,  as 
usual,  had  their  places  near  the  monarch.  They 
watched  with  no  little  interest  the  appearance  of 
the  Persians,  and  listened  intently  to  what  they 
had  to  say. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  2OI 

The  chief  ambassador,  making  low  salaams,  ad- 
vanced  to  Kublai  Khan,  and  kneeling  at  his  feet, 
spoke : 

"  Your  majesty  knows  that  our  great  sovereign, 
King  Argon  of  Persia,  married  a  lady  of  Cathay 
for  his  wife.  With  much  grief  I  have  to  announce 
that  the  good  Queen  Bolgana  is  no  more.  She 
was  a  most  gracious  queen,  beloved  of  all  her 
lord's  subjects ;  and  the  king  himself  loved  her 
most  faithfully.  When  she  died,  with  her  last 
words  she  implored  King  Argon  on  no  account 
to  take  to  himself  a  Persian  as  his  second  wife, 
but  to  send  hither  for  a  maiden  of  her  own 
family,  and  make  this  maiden  her  successor. 
King  Argon  paid  heed  to  the  dying  prayer  of  the 
queen ;  and  hath,  in  compliance  with  it,  sent  us 
here  to  Cathay,  to  seek  for  a  second  wife." 

"  You  are  very  welcome,  noble  Persians,"  re- 
plied Kublai  Khan,  "  and  I  shall  give  orders  that 
you  be  entertained  at  my  court,  as  long  as  you 
choose  to  tarry,  in  a  manner  befitting  your  rank 
and  my  love  for  King  Argon,  your  master.  You 
and  your  gallant  company  shall  be  lodged  within 
my  palace,  and  all  things  in  it  shall  be  at  your 
service.  Meanwhile,  I  will  send  messengers  with- 


2O2  MARCO  POLO. 

out  delay  to  the  province  whence  Queen  Argon 
came,  and  will  demand  of  her  family  a  maiden 
who  shall  return  with  you  to  Persia." 

The  Persians  then  retired,  and  the  khan  and 
his  courtiers  resumed  their  recreations.  The 
Polos  soon  made  the  acquaintance  of  these  envoys 
of  King  Argon.  Nicolo  and  Maffeo  had  twice 
travelled  in  Persia,  and  had  already  been  received 
at  the  sovereign's  court,  and  they  well  understood 
the  native  language  of  the  envoys ;  while  the 
latter  were  delighted  to  find  accomplished  Euro- 
peans, with  whom  they  could  freely  talk,  and  who 
were  familiar  with  their  own  country.  Marco 
busied  himself  with  providing  amusements  for 
the  Persians,  and  acted  as  their  guide  about  the 
palace  park  and  the  city  of  Kambalu.  Occasion- 
ally he  went  with  them  on  hunting  parties ;  and 
soon  became  very  intimate  and  confidential  with 
them.  He  did  not  conceal  from  his  new  friends 
how  long  and  eagerly  he  and  his  father  had  de- 
sired to  return  to  Venice,  and  how  resolutely 
Kublai  Khan  had  forbidden  them  to  think  of 
doing  so.  The  Persians  sympathized  with  him 
in  his  longing,  and  encouraged  him  to  hope  that 
his  deliverance  might  not  be  far  off.  But  Marco 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  2O3 

drew  little  comfort  from  their  words,  and  did  not 
once  suspect  that  they  would  themselves  be  the 
means  of  opening  the  way  to  his  return  home. 
Kublai  Khan  was  as  good  as  his  word  to  the  Per- 
sian envoys.  He  lost  no  time  in  sending  to  the 
native  province  of  Queen  Bolgana  to  demand  a 
new  bride  for  the  Persian  monarch,  giving  orders 
that  the  youngest  and  fairest  daughter  of  the 
family  should  be  sent.  In  due  time  his  messengers 
returned,  and  with  them  the  newly  destined  bride. 
Marco  was  at  the  court  when  she  entered  the 
palace,  and  was  brought  into  the  presence  of  the 
khan  and  of  the  Persian  ambassadors ;  and,  ac- 
customed as  he  was  to  the  beauty  of  many  of  the 
Tartar  ladies,  he  was  amazed  at  the  exceeding 
loveliness  of  this  young  girl,  whose  fate  it  was  to 
be  sent  to  a  far-off  strange  land,  and  to  become  the 
wife  of  a  king  more  than  double  her  own  age. 
She  was  very  young  and  girlish,  being  scarcely 
seventeen ;  her  graceful  and  slender  form 
was  attired  in  robes  of  the  richest  silk.  The 
khan  presented  her  to  the  Persian  envoys,  who  did 
not  conceal  their  admiration  of  her  beauty,  and 
declared  that  she  could  not  fail  to  greatly  please 
their  lord  and  master. 


2O4  MARCO  POLO. 

Preparations  were  now  hastened  for  the  de- 
parture of  the  embassy.  Kublai  Khan  had  re- 
solved that  the  bride  should  be  attended  with 
great  state  on  her  journey  to  her  new  home. 
He  provided  a  brilliant  escort  of  courtiers  and 
guards,  and  selected  some  of  the  choicest  gems 
and  gold  and  silver  ornaments  that  his  treasure- 
houses  provided,  as  presents  for  King  Argon  and 
his  youthful  bride.  Upon  the  latter  he  showered 
necklaces,  bracelets,  and  rings  enough  to  dazzle 
even  a  queen ;  and  he  also  gave  the  ambassadors 
solid  proofs  of  his  esteem. 

The  time  had  nearly  arrived  for  their  depart- 
ure, when,  one  day,  the  chief  of  the  ambassadors 
sought  an  audience  of  the  khan,  and  told  him 
that  he  was  about  to  ask  a  still  greater  favor  than 
the  khan  had  as  yet  conferred  upon  him. 

"  At  your  majesty's  court,"  said  the  Persian, 
"  are  three  noble  and  learned  Venetians,  who  have 
been  here,  as  I  learn,  some  seventeen  years. 
Sire,  they  are  most  anxious  to  return  to  their 
own  land.  They  have  served  you  faithfully  and 
they  seek  the  reward  of  their  fidelity  in  your 
gracious  permission  that  they  shall  again  behold 
the  scenes  of  their  youth.  These  Venetians  have 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  20$ 

much  knowledge  of  the  Indian  seas,  by  which  we 
are  about  to  return  to  Persia ;  and  we  are  bold 
enough  to  beg  your  majesty's  leave  to  take  them 
with  us." 

Kublai  Khan  frowned,  and  at  first  seemed  on 
the  point  of  breaking  out  in  a  fit  of  passion  ;  but 
governing  his  temper,  turned  abruptly  around, 
and  said  that  he  would  think  of  the  Persian's  re- 
quest and  give  him  his  answer  on  the  morrow. 
The  next  day  he  called  the  Persian  to  him  and 
said: 

"The  Venetians  have  attached  themselves 
strongly  to  me,  and  have  been,  for  many  years, 
my  wisest  and  most  trusted  counsellors.  I  am 
most  loth  to  part  with  them.  But  I  clearly  see 
that  they  are  fully  resolved  to  go  back  to  Venice, 
and  that  they  cannot  possibly  reconcile  them- 
selves to  remaining  in  Cathay.  I  perceive  that 
they  have  begged  you  Persians  to  intercede  for 
them ;  nor,  methinks,  will  they  leave  any  stone 
unturned  to  break  away  from  me.  I  have  there- 
fore resolved,  at  last,  to  grant  your  request,  and 
to  set  them  free  to  go  back  with  you,  if  so  it 
pleases  them." 

The  Persian  bent  low  before  the  khan,  in  abject 


2O6  MARCO  POLO. 

token  of  his  gratitude ;  and  then  hastened  off  to 
impart  his  good  news  to  Marco,  who  could 
scarcely  believe  that  the  obdurate  khan  had  really 
yielded.  He  soon,  however,  received  from  the 
khan's  own  lips  the  assurance  of  the  truth ;  and 
his  heart  thrilled  with  joy  to  think  that,  after  all, 
he  would  see  dear  old  Venice  once  more. 

So  it  was  decided  that  the  Polos  should  go  with 
the  party  of  the  young  bride  to  Persia,  and  make 
their  way  from  thence,  as  they  could,  to  Europe. 
They  soon  made  ready  for  the  voyage  (for  the 
party  were  to  travel  by  sea,  the  land  journey 
being  too  long  and  too  perilous  for  the  frail 
young  princess  and  her  female  companions);  and 
the  day  quickly  came  for  them  to  bid  adieu  to 
the  good  khan  who  had  treated  them  so  gener- 
ously, and  to  the  host  of  Tartar  friends  whom  they 
were  about  to  leave  forever. 

The  khan  had  not  only  loaded  down  the  Polos, 
the  envoys  and  the  princess  with  costly  gifts,  and 
provided  them  with  a  brilliant  Tartar  escort,  but 
had  caused  thirteen  of  his  largest  and  finest  four- 
masted  ships  to  be  especially  fitted  up  for  their 
use,  and  to  be  manned  by  ample  crews  of  from  one 
to  two  hundred  sailors  each.  Everything  on  these 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  2O7 

ships  was  arranged  for  the  luxury  of  the  travellers. 
The  furniture  was  elegant  and  comfortable,  and 
the  stock  of  provisions  was  choice  and  abundant. 
In  all,  the  company  that  attended  the  party 
comprised,  besides  the  sailors,  six  hundred  per- 
sons. 

Just  before  they  set  out,  Kublai  Khan  sum- 
moned the  Polos  before  him,  in  the  presence  of 
the  whole  court ;  and  tenderly  embracing  each  of 
them,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  he  handed  Nicolo 
two  golden  tablets,  which  were  to  serve  them  as 
passports.  On  these  tablets  the  khan  had  caused 
to  be  written  his  command  to  all  his  governors 
and  subjects,  not  only  to  permit  the  Polos  a  safe 
passage,  but  to  provide  them  with  all  things  of 
which  they  might  be  in  need. 

When  the  travellers  repaired  to  the  port  where 
lay  their  ships,  Kublai  Khan,  with  a  great  multi- 
tude of  courtiers  and  soldiers,  proceeded  with 
them  some  miles  on  the  road,  and  parted  from 
them  with  the  warmest  demonstrations  of 
affection  at  a  village  where  all  halted  for  the 
leave-taking.  The  khan  fairly  wept  as  he  em- 
braced Marco,  who  was  his  chief  favorite ;  while 
Marco  himself  was  overcome  with  emotion  at 


2O8  MARCO  POLO. 

separating  from  a  monarch  who  had  overwhelmed 
him  with  favor  and  kindness. 

The  ambassadors,  the  princess  and  the  Polos, 
having  arrived  at  the  port  of  embarkation,  re- 
paired on  board  the  flag-ship,  in  which  they  were 
all  to  sail  together ;  their  escort  and  attendants 
entered  the  other  ships ;  and,  while  an  enormous 
multitude  roared  its  good-bye  from  the  shore,  the 
fleet  set  forth  on  its  southward  voyage. 

Marco  had  already  traversed  these  Eastern 
seas,  and  was  quite  familiar  with  the  various 
islands  and  headlands  as  they  were  passed.  He 
took  command  of  the  fleet,  and  under  his  direc- 
tions the  ships  sailed  by  the  nearest  route  into 
the  Australian  waters.  They  did  not  deem  it  wise 
or  necessary  to  put  in  at  any  of  the  islands,  as  they 
had  already  on  board  provisions  and  water  enough 
to  last  them  two  years,  and  it  was  needless  to 
risk  an  attack  from  the  savage  inhabitants. 

It  took  the  fleet  fully  three  months  to  reach  the 
long  and  lovely  island  of  Sumatra.  On  the  voy- 
age, Marco  greatly  enjoyed  the  companionship  of 
the  three  Persians,  who  were  men  of  high  birth 
and  remarkable  intelligence.  On  making  the 
acquaintance  of  the  young  princess,  (whose 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  209 

name  was  Cocachin),  he  found  her  as  lively  and 
amiable  as  she  was  lovely  in  face  and  person. 
She  was  soon  able  to  converse  with  her  protectors, 
and  spent  much  of  her  time  on  deck,  gazing 
amazed  at  the  myriad  wonders  of  the  sea,  which 
she  had  never  before  beheld.  At  first  she  had 
been  homesick,  and  melancholy ;  but  the  excite- 
ments of  the  voyage  had  restored  the  rosy  color 
to  her  cheeks,  and  gayety  to  her  heart. 

After  staying  a  short  while  at  Sumatra,  the 
ships  resumed  their  voyage,  their  stores  replen- 
ished, and  their  company  refreshed  by  the  brief 
sojourn  on  land.  Sailing  southwestward,  they 
skirted  the  coast  of  India  as  far  as  Ceylon  ;  and 
then,  turning  their  prows  northwestward,  traversed 
the  Indian  ocean,  thus  in  due  time  reaching  the 
Persian  Gulf.  By  the  time  they  reached  the 
port  of  Hormuz,  however,  they  had  been  more 
than  two  years  away  from  Kambalu,  during 
which  period  they  had  only  landed  once,  at 
Sumatra.  Two  of  the  Persian  envoys  had  died 
on  the  voyage. 

The  brilliant  company  landed  on  Persian  soil 
with  great  pomp  and  display,  for  they  were 
escorting  the  future  queen  of  the  country,  and 


2IO  MARCO   POLO. 

the  envoy  who  survived  deemed  that  she  should 
make  her  first  appearance  among  her  future  sub- 
jects in  all  proper  state.  But  no  sooner  had 
they  landed  than  they  learned  that  the  good 
King  Argon  had  in  their  absence  followed  his 
first  queen  to  the  grave.  The  country  was  in  a 
state  of  civil  war,  and  the  young  Princess  Cocachin 
had  arrived  to  find  herself  widowed  before  she 
was  a  wife. 

The  party  lost  no  time  in  repairing  to  the  prince 
who  was  then  ruling  in  Southern  Persia,  Kiacatu, 
the  brother  of  Argon  ;  to  whom  they  presented 
their  lovely  charge.  But  Kiacatu,  though  engaged 
in  a  struggle  with  King  Argon's  son,  Casan,  for 
the  crown,  was  too  honorable  to  detain  the 
young  girl ;  and  directed  her  escort  to  proceed 
with  her  to  Casan's  camp  in  the  north,  providing 
the  party  with  two  hundred  horsemen  to  protect 
them. 

Marco  now  found  himself  traversing  the  same 
road  as  that  by  which  he  had  travelled  to  Cathay. 
Many  objects  were  familiar  to  him  as  he  ad- 
vanced ;  and  now  and  then,  on  stopping  at  a 
town  or  village,  he  found  old  men  who  remem- 
bered his  journey  more  than  twenty  years  before. 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  211 

It  was  a  long  jaunt  from  Hormuz  to  Khorassan, 
where  the  young  King  Casan  was  posted  with 
his  army ;  and  their  progress  was  often  interrupted 
by  the  operations  of  war.  But  everywhere  the 
soldiers  and  the  people  respected  the  cavalcade, 
on  account  of  the  fair  young  princess  whom  they 
were  conducting  to  the  northern  camp.  Marco 
always  rode  at  her  side,  with  the  ambassador; 
and  had  she  not  been  of  rank  so  much  above  his 
own,  and  the  destined  bride  of  another,  he  might 
easily  have  fallen  head  over  ears  in  love  with  her. 
As  it  was,  she  became  very  much  attached  to 
her  handsome  and  sturdy  cavalier;  and  looked 
forward  with  real  sorrow  to  parting  from 
him. 

It  was  towards  evening  that  the  company  ap- 
proached the  camp  of  the  gallant  young  prince 
who  was  fighting  for  the  crown  which  was  his  due. 
The  tents  were  spread  over  a  wide  space  in  a 
beautiful  valley,  watered  by  a  swiftly-flowing 
stream ;  and  from  a  hill  top  Marco  surveyed  the 
bustling  scene.  The  soldiers  were  loitering  about 
their  tents  in  groups ;  and  above  the  tents 
floated  the  banners  of  the  royal  house  of  Persia. 
In  their  centre  was  a  lofty  and  handsome  pa- 


212  MARCO  POLO. 

vilion ;  and  this  the  travellers  rightly  guessed  to  be 
the  headquarters  of  the  prince  himself. 

With  the  passports  they  had,  it  was  no  difficult 
matter  to  penetrate  the  out-posts,  and  advance 
to  the  royal  pavilion.  On  reaching  it,  the  prin- 
cess, ambassador,  and  three  Polos  dismounted 
and  approached  the  door.  Presently  Prince 
Casan,  apprized  of  the  arrival  of  the  party, 
emerged  from  the  pavilion.  He  was  a  fine- 
looking  young  man,  tall  and  straight,  with  broad 
shoulders,  a  fresh  rosy  complexion,  and  a  soft 
brown  beard.  He  was  splendidly  dressed  in  silk 
and  jewels,  and  altogether  presented  a  noble  and 
attractive  appearance.  He  stepped  forward  and 
welcomed  the  party  to  his  camp.  Then  the 
ambassador,  standing  with  bowed  head,  informed 
Casan  that  this  was  the  young  princess  of  Cathay, 
whom  his  father  Argon  had  sent  for,  in  order  to 
make  her  his  wife.  But  now  that  Argon  was 
dead,  he  knew  nothing  else  to  do  with  her,  than 
to  bring  her  to  Argon's  son  and  heir,  Casan 
himself.  The  prince  was  already  glancing  with 
tender  eyes  at  the  lovely  young  maiden ;  and  no 
sooner  had  the  ambassador  done  speaking  than 
he  exclaimed :  "  You  have  done  well,  my  lord. 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  213 

The  fair  princess  shall  receive  all  honor  and  pro- 
tection from  me.  Nay,  I  am  happily  still  un- 
married ;  and  the  bride  whom  my  august  father 
destined  as  his  queen,  I  will  receive  as  mine." 

So  saying,  he  took  the  blushing  Cocachin  by 
the  hand  and  led  her  to  a  tent  near  by,  sending  her 
women  after  her  to  keep  her  company.  It  may 
well  be  believed  that  she  did  not  much  regret, 
after  all,  finding  that  her  destined  spouse  was  no 
more  ;  for  he  was  an  old  man,  and  now  she  was 
to  be  married  to  one  as  young,  handsome, 
and  powerful  as  the  proudest  princess  could 
wish. 

Meanwhile,  Casan  busied  himself  with  offering 
such  hospitalities  as  his  camp  afforded  to  his 
visitors.  The  ambassador  and  the  Polos  were 
provided  with  luxurious  tents,  and  at  night  were 
feasted  by  the  prince  to  their  hearts'  content ; 
and  the  next  day  a  great  review  of  the  troops 
was  held,  at  which  they  rode  beside  the  prince 
himself. 

Eager  as  Marco  was  to  see  Venice  once  more, 
it  was  with  much  reluctance  and  sorrow  that  he 
parted  from  the  good  friends  with  whom  he  had 
travelled  so  far,  and  whose  friendship  he  had  so 


214  MARCO  POLO. 

keenly  enjoyed.  The  Polos  resolved  to  tarry  at 
the  camp  at  least  until  Casan  and  Cocachin 
were  married,  after  which  event  they  would  hasten 
towards  home.  The  more  Casan  saw  of  the 
young  girl,  the  fonder  he  grew  of  her;  and  he 
soon  became  impatient  to  be  wedded  to  her  as 
soon  as  possible.  Cocachin  was  nothing  loth ; 
and  so  within  a  week  of  her  arrival  in  the  camp, 
they  were  duly  married  according  to  the  rites  of 
the  faith  to  which  they  belonged. 

The  next  day,  the  Polos  prepared  to  set  out 
for  Trebizond,  which  was  the  nearest  port  where 
they  could  hope  to  find  a  ship  to  take  them  to 
Constantinople,  from  whence  their  way  home 
would  be  easy.  When  the  moment  for  bidding 
farewell  came,  Marco  could  not  restrain  his  tears. 
He  warmly  embraced  his  Persian  friends,  and 
kneeling  at  the  feet  of  the  Princess  Cocachin, 
fervidly  kissed  her  hand.  She,  also,  was  much 
touched  at  parting  from  so  good  and  faithful  a 
friend,  and  tears  of  regret  coursed  down  her 
cheeks. 

The  Polos  here  bade  good-bye  also  to  the 
larger  part  of  the  escort  who  had  accompanied 
them  on  their  travels,  and  only  took  with  them  a 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 

few  guides  and  attendants,  and  a  body  of  Persian 
cavalry,  whom  Prince  Casan  detailed  to  guard 
them  as  far  as  Trebizond.  They  then  set  out, 
followed  by  the  friendly  cries  of  the  Persian 
soldiers. 


210  MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  STRANGE  WELCOME. 

f  ARCO  and  his  party  reached  Trebizond  in 
safety,  having  crossed  the  Armenian 
mountains,  and  seen  with  great  interest 
still  another  phase  of  Oriental  life.  Trebizond 
was  then  a  very  thriving  port  of  the  Black  Sea, 
and  Marco  was  delighted  when  his  eyes  greeted, 
among  the  crowded  shipping  in  the  harbor, 
several  vessels  from  which  floated  the  once  so 
familiar  Venetian  flag.  There  were  also  Cossack, 
Circassian,  Greek  and  Moorish  vessels,  each 
with  its  peculiar  and  striking  characteristics. 

It  was  not  long  before  an  opportunity  occurred 
of  procuring  a  passage  across  the  Black  Sea  to 
Constantinople ;  and  the  weary  travellers,  worn 
and  bronzed  by  long  wanderings,  at  last  found 
themselves  snugly  ensconced  in  a  European 
cabin.  The  passage  across  the  Black  Sea  was  a 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  217 

rapid  and  pleasant  one.  Soft  winds  blew,  and 
the  sky  remained  serene  throughout  the  voyage. 
Yet  it  seemed  a  long  voyage  to  Marco,  who,  now 
that  he  once  more  found  himself  among  Euro- 
peans, was  doubly  eager  to  reach  home. 

One  morning  he  awoke  to  find  the  vessel  enter- 
ing  the  narrow  strait  of  the  Bosphorus,  its  high 
banks  on  either  side  crowned  with  fortresses,  and 
with  the  stately  residences  of  the  Greek  nobles 
who  chose  to  live  near  the  metropolis  of  the  em- 
pire. A  brief  sail  brought  them  within  sight  of 
the  domes  and  minarets  of  Constantinople  itself ; 
and  soon  Marco  once  more  put  foot  upon  dry  land, 
and  was  threading  the  narrow  winding  streets 
of  the  famous  city. 

The  stay  of  the  Polos  at  Constantinople  was 
not  a  long  one.  Nicolo  had  some  business  to 
transact  with  Levantine  merchants,  whose  large 
warehouses  stood  upon  the  quay,  and  who  only 
recognized  their  old  acquaintance  with  difficulty, 
so  entirely  had  he  changed  during  his  twenty 
years'  residence  at  Cathay.  Happily,  there  were 
Venetian  galleys  in  port ;  and  on  one  of  these, 
bound  for  home,  the  party  was  able  to  procure 
a  passage.  Setting  sail  once  more,  they  swiftlv 


2l8  MARCO  POLO. 

sped  through  the  picturesque  Sea  of  Marmora  and 
then  entered  the  channel  of  the  Hellespont,  of 
which  Marco  had  read  much  in  his  ancient  his- 
tories. From  the  Hellespont  they  issued  into 
the  ^Egean  Sea,  and  were  now  full  on  the  way  to 
Venice.  The  galley  stopped  at  several  Greek 
ports  on  the  way ;  and  Marco  had  an  opportunity 
which  he  eagerly  seized,  to  observe  the  monu- 
ments and  traits  of  that  noble  race,  which  had 
now  reached  its  period  of  rapid  decline. 

Ere  many  days  had  passed,  Marco  found  him- 
self  sailing  up  the  Adriatic,  and  so  vivid  had  been 
his  first  impressions  of  his  outward  voyage,  that 
at  twenty  years'  distance  he  easily  recognized 
many  of  the  objects  he  espied  along  the  shores. 
The  weather  continued  propitious  from  the 
time  they  left  Constantinople ;  it  seemed  as  if 
the  elements  were  giving  the  travellers  a  smiling 
and  sunny  welcome  back  to  Europe  again. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  a  mellow 
autumn  day,  that,  far  off  in  the  northern  haze, 
Marco  saw  dimly  rising  from  the  waters  the  well- 
known  domes  and  palaces  of  his  beloved  Venice. 
He  could  with  difficulty  contain  himself  for  joy. 
He  could  scarcely  speak,  so  deep  were  his 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME. 

emotions  at  beholding  the  longed-for  sight.  The 
three  travellers  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  galley, 
and,  shading  their  eyes  from  the  sun's  rays  with 
their  hands,  strained  their  eyes  towards  their 
native  city. 

Nearer  and  nearer  they  approached  it ;  each 
object  became  every  moment  more  distinct.  The 
big  dome  of  St.  Mark's,  the  column  of  the  lion,  the 
spires  of  many  churches,  the  broad,  ornate  facade 
of  the  doge's  palace,  came,  one  by  one,  into 
view ;  and  now  gondolas  began  to  appear,  gliding 
swiftly  and  noiselessly  in  every  direction  across 
the  glassy  bay.  Then  the  mouth  of  the  Grand 
Canal,  flanked  on  either  side  by  its  palaces  and 
churches,  was  easily  recognized ;  and,  before  the 
Polos  had  done  pointing  out  to  each  other,  with 
eager  delight,  the  familiar  points,  they  found  the 
galley  drawing  up  to  the  quay.  It  was  soon 
moored,  and  the  Polos  tremblingly  prepared  to 
disembark. 

What  had  become  of  all  their  relatives  and 
friends,  whom  they  had  left  behind  so  many  years 
before?  It  could  not  be  but  they  would  find 
many  of  them  dead,  and  it  was  certain  that  all 
would  have,  like  themselves,  greatly  changed. 


22O  MARCO  POLO. 

To  land  once  more  at  Venice,  therefore,  after  such 
an  absence,  was  to  encounter  pain,  and  to  exist 
for  a  time  in  feverish  suspense. 

The  galley  in  which  they  had  come  was  to  re- 
main at  Venice  for  some  time  ;  and  the  three 
travellers  left  such  baggage  as  they  had  brought 
with  them  from  the  east  on  board  of  her, 
while  they  landed  and  visited  home  once 
more. 

It  happened  that  all  three  of  the  Polos  wore 
the  rough  travelling  costumes  which  they  brought 
from  Cathay.  Their  clothes  were  not  only  rough 
and  shabby,  but  were  of  Tartar  make;  so  that 
they  looked  much  more  like  Tartars  than  Ven- 
etians. The  two  elders  wore  long  pointed  caps 
of  fur,  and  coats  that  fell  to  the  ground.  About 
their  waists  were  belts,  from  which  hung  yata- 
ghans and  scimitars  such  as  those  used  by  Tartar 
soldiers.  Marco  had  a  flat  fur  cap,  with  a  long  tas- 
sel ;  very  much  such  a  head-gear  as  some  Chinese 
mandarins  wear  at  the  present  day.  Maffeo  Polo 
led  with  him,  by  a  stout  chain,  a  great  shaggy 
dog  that  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Tartary. 
All  three,  moreover,  were  very  dark,  their  skins 

vi-:;*  been  tanned  almost  to  the  color  of  their 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  221 

Tartar  friends,  by  long  residence  in  a  tropical 
clime,  and  long  journeyings  through  rude  and 
difficult  lands.  They  wore  long,  shaggy,  beards, 
those  of  Maffeo  and  Nicolo  being  quite  gray ; 
and  their  hair  fell  in  tangled  mats  down 
over  their  shoulders.  On  their  feet  were  the 
short,  thick  shoes,  turned  up  at  the  ends,  which 
every  one  wore  in  Cathay. 

They  thus  presented,  as  they  tramped  across 
the  square  of  Saint  Mark,  a  very  strange  and 
striking  appearance  to  the  good  folk  of  Venice 
whom  they  met ;  and  many  turned  around  and 
stared  after  them  with  no  little  astonishment. 
Not  far  from  the  square,  they  took  a  gondola, 
and,  as  well  as  they  could,  directed  the  gondolier 
to  row  them  to  Nicolo's  house.  They  found  that, 
in  so  long  an  absence,  they  had  actually  almost 
forgotten  their  native  tongue.  It  was  as  much  as 
they  could  do  to  make  the  gondolier  understand 
them ;  they  had  to  stop,  and  scratch  their  heads, 
and  search  their  memories,  for  the  simplest  word  ; 
for  they  had  got  accustomed  at  the  khan's  court, 
to  talk  with  each  other,  as  well  as  with  the 
Tartars,  in  the  Tartar  language,  and  had  long 
ceased  to  speak  Italian  altogether. 


222  MARCO  POLO. 

The  street  of  San  Giovanni  Chrysostomo,  on 
which  stood  the  home  of  the  Polos,  was  not  far  dis- 
tant from  the  Square  of  St.  Mark ;  and  the  swift 
gondola  soon  brought  them  to  the  broad  flight  of 
steps  which  led  up  to  it.  Marco  felt  a  curious 
emotion  at  finding  himself  once  more  speeding 
across  the  canals  in  one  of  the  boats  familiar  to  his 
youth ;  while  Nicolo  and  Maffeo  could  not  but  call 
to  mind  their  former  return  from  Cathay. 

Everything  in  the  street  where  their  home 
stood  looked  much  as  they  remembered  it. 
Neither  fire  nor  improvements  had  done  away 
with  any  of  the  neighboring  buildings.  There 
were  the  same  stair-ways,  the  same  ornamental 
portals,  the  same  snug  balconies,  the  same  pretty 
cupolas,  the  same  air  of  indolent  quiet  and  re- 
pose, which  they  so  well  remembered.  There, 
too,  stood  the  old  home,  as  stately  and  silent 
as  of  old,  with  the  dainty  carving  around  the 
arch  of  the  door,  the  same  handsome  cross  set  in 
the  wall  just  above  it,  and  the  same  coat-of-arms, 
with  its  bars  and  initials,  on  the  wall  at  the  side. 
It  looked  just  as  if  everything  had  gone  on  as 
usual  for  twenty  years ;  as  if  it  were  but  the 
other  day  that  the  travellers  had  set  out  from 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  223 

that  spot,  followed  by  the  tearful  farewells  of 
their  families  and  friends. 

No  sooner  had  they  landed  and  advanced  to- 
ward the  door,  than  a  group  of  curious  neighbors, 
mostly  women  and  children,  gathered  closely 
around  them,  staring  at  them  with  all  their 
might.  Such  strange,  uncouth  figures,  surely, 
they  had  never  seen;  nor  could  those  good 
people  imagine  what  the  foreign  looking  men 
were  doing  at  the  door  of  the  big  Polo  house. 

Marco  knocked  loudly  upon  the  portal.  At 
first,  no  response  came  to  his  summons ;  but  pres- 
ently several  women  leaned  out  of  the  windows 
above,  glared  at  the  strangers,  and  somewhat 
curtly  demanded  what  they  wanted.  They  were 
evidently  taken  for  foreign  vagabonds  and  tramps ; 
their  rough,  shabby  coats,  and  bronzed  and 
bearded  faces,  confirmed  this  idea.  Nor  were 
the  suspicions  of  the  women  at  the  windows 
diminished  when  Marco  tried  in  vain — so  hard  did 
he  find  it  to  speak  his  native  tongue — to  explain 
who  they  were,  and  what  they  were  there  for. 

At  last,  however,  the  people  consented  to  open 
the  door,  and  admit  the  three  men  into  the 
courtyard,  where  the  entire  household  gathered 


224  MARCO  POLO. 

around  them.  Marco  addressed  himself  to  the 
butler,  a  stout,  pompous  person,  who  had  entered 
the  family  service  long  after  the  departure  of  the 
travellers ;  and  at  last  made  him  understand  that 
they  were  really  Nicolo,  Maffeo  and  Marco  Polo. 
The  butler  stared  at  him  as  if  he  did  not  believe  a 
word  he  said ;  and  then  called  two  old  women 
who  were  in  the  group  to  come  forth  and  see  if 
they  could  recognize  the  strangers.  The  old 
dames  placed  ther  hands  on  their  hips,  stooped 
down,  and  narrowly  scanned  the  countenances  of 
all  three. 

"  Pooh,  pooh,"  exclaimed  one  of  them,  in  a 
shrill  voice,  "  We  know  you  not.  You  are  a  set 
of  impostors." 

"  Besides/'  added  the  other,  "  Messer  Nicolo 
and  Messer  Marco  are  dead  long  ago.  It  is  years 
since  we  heard  that  they  were  killed  by  a  band  of 
robbers,  away  off  there  in  the  East." 

By  this  time  a  crowd  of  neighbors  had  pene- 
trated the  court-yard,  and  were  gathered  in  a 
close  group  about  the  travellers.  Among  them 
were  several  old  men  and  women,  who  had  seen 
the  Polos  before  they  went  to  Cathay.  To  these 
the  butler  appealed  ;  but  one  and  all  shook  their 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  22$ 

heads.  Stare  as  hard  as  they  might,  no  one  could 
recognize  their  old  acquaintances  in  these  rugged 
features. 

"But  where  is  Messer  Marco  the  elder?" 
Nicolo  asked,  anxiously,  in  broken  Italian,  look- 
ing about  him.  "  And  young  Maffeo,  the  son  of 
Nicolo  ?" 

"  Messer  Maffeo,"  responded  the  butler,  pomp- 
ously, "  is  away  in  the  country,  on  a  hunt.  Messer 
Marco  is  dead  long  ago." 

"  Alas,  poor  Marco !"  exclaimed  Nicolo,  with  a 
deep  sigh.  Then,  turning  to  the  group,  he  added, 
"  Very  well,  good  friends,  since  you  deny  me  in 
my  own  house,  and  my  son  is  at  a  distance, 
we  will  repair  to  an  inn,  and  await  an  op- 
portunity to  prove  to  all  that  we  arc  the  persons 
we  represent  ourselves  to  be." 

With  this  Nicolo  walked  out  of  the  court-yard 
of  his  own  house,  followed  by  Maffeo  and  Marco, 
and  all  three  betook  themselves  to  an  inn  not  far 
distant. 

The  rumor  of  the  arrival  of  the  three  strangers 
was  soon  spread  through  the  neighborhood 
and  the  city;  and  a  large  number  of  their  old 
friends  and  acquaintances  came  1  •>  see  them  at 


226  MARCO  POLO. 

the  inn.  But,  though  there  were  some  who 
thought  they  saw  a  dim  likeness  in  the  strangers' 
faces  to  the  old  friends  they  asserted  themselves 
to  be,  nearly  all  denied  that  they  perceived  the 
least  likeness  whatever.  Besides,  the  fact  that  the 
Polos  were  so  shabby,  and  looked  and  appeared 
so  destitute,  gave  a  general  impression  that  they 
were  impudent  pretenders,  who  were  trying,  by 
this  device,  to  obtain  the  Polo  property. 

The  affair  was  getting  to  be  serious  ;  for  some 
time  must  elapse  before  young  Maffeo  and  other 
relatives  at  a  distance  could  be  apprized  of  their 
arrival,  and  return  to  recognize  and  welcome 
them. 

At  last  Nicolo  hit  upon  a  plan  by  which  he 
thought  they  would  be  able  to  prove  their  iden- 
tity, and  win  the  recognition  of  all ;  and  without 
delay  the  three  set  about  putting  the  plan  into 
execution. 

They  sent  forth  and  invited  all  the  old  friends 
and  acquaintances  whom  they  could  find  to  be 
living,  and  in  Venice,  to  meet  them  at  a  grand 
banquet  at  Nicolo's  house  on  a  certain  evening ; 
and  so  earnest  were  they  in  asserting  their  ability 
to  prove  themselves  what  they  claimed,  that 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME. 

those  left  in  charge  of  the  house  reluctantly  con- 
sented that  the  banquet  should  be  held  there. 
They  did  not  believe  there  would  be  any  banquet 
at  all,  and  suspected  that  before  the  appointed 
time,  the  strange  men  would  slip  away  from  the 
city,  and  be  well  rid  of. 

The  night  of  the  banquet,  warm  and  serene, 
came ;  and  about  an  hour  before  the  guests  were 
expected  to  arrive,  the  three  Polos  came  to  the 
house  accompanied  by  porters  bearing  large 
boxes,  and  asked  to  have  an  apartment  set  aside 
for  them,  where  they  might  make  their  toilet  for 
the  festivity.  This  request  was  grudgingly 
granted  to  them,  and  they  entered  the  room 
where  their  boxes  had  been  deposited  and  locked 
themselves  in. 

The  banquet  was  prepared  with  great  splendor 
and  expense ;  and  in  due  time  the  invited  friends 
began  to  flock  in,  and  gazed  with  astonishment 
at  the  bounteous  feast  that  was  spread  in  the  great 
hall.  They  assembled  in  a  large  apartment  just 
beyond,  and  there  awaited  the  entrance  of  their 
singular  hosts. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait ;  for  in  a  few  mo- 
ments the  doors  of  the  apartment  were  thrown 


225  MARCO  POLO. 

open,  and  the  three  men  entered.  As  soon  as 
they  appeared,  there  was  a  general  exclamation 
of  surprise  and  admiration.  No  longer  attired  in 
the  uncouth  costume  of  Tartars,  no  longer  shaggy 
of  hair  and  ragged  of  aspect,  the  three  Polos  pre- 
sented themselves  in  gorgeous  robes  of  crimson 
satin,  that  reached  to  the  floor.  Their  hair  and 
beards  had  been  cut  to  the  prevailing  fashion  in 
Venice;  and  on  their  necks  and  fingers  sparkled 
jewels  of  dazzling  brightness  and  enormous  size. 

The  guests  gathered  around  them,  and  some 
cried  out  at  once  that  they  recognized  the  strangers 
as  the  three  Polos  who  had  been  supposed  to  be 
long  ago  dead.  Others  hung  back,  and  still  sus- 
pected that  the  company  were  being  made  the 
victims  of  a  trick. 

With  graceful  courtesy,  however,  the  Polos  con- 
ducted their  guests  to  the  groaning  tables,  and 
the  feasting  began.  They  talked  to  those  who 
sat  next  to  them  in  a  free,  easy  strain,  and  with 
a  manner  as  if  they  were  the  undoubted  lords  of 
the  house.  After  the  first  course,  the  three  Polos 
rose  from  the  table,  and,  while  the  company  mois- 
tened their  hands — a  custom  practised  in  Venice 
after  each  course — retired  to  their  apartment. 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  22Q 

By  the  time  the  second  course  was  served,  they 
had  reappeared,  this  time  in  fresh  and  still  more 
brilliant  costumes  of  crimson  damask,  with  new 
bracelets  and  rings  on  their  necks  and  fingers. 
Behind  them  came  attendants,  bearing  the  satin 
robes  they  had  just  taken  off;  and  these  they 
ordered  to  be  cut  up  on  the  spot,  and  divided 
among  the  servants.  They  then  resumed  their 
seats,  and  once  more  made  merry  with  their  guests. 

In  due  time  all  the  courses  had  been  served, 
and  the  company  had  grown  gay  and  boisterous 
with  the  meat  and  wine.  The  cloth  was  removed 
and  the  servants  were  ordered  to  leave  the 
banqueting  room ;  and  then  Marco  rose,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  guests,  said, 

"  My  friends,  you  have  doubted  that  we  are  the 
Polos,  and  have  denied  us  with  much  scorn  and 
scoffing.  You  did  this  because,  when  we  arrived 
from  our  long  journey,  our  hair  and  beards  were 
long  and  straggling,  our  faces  scarred  and  sun- 
burnt ;  and  also  because,  ragged  and  miserable  as 
we  looked,  you  took  us  to  be  poor,  scheming 
beggars.  Now  you  see  us  trim  and  kempt,  and 
some  of  you  recognize  in  our  faces,  thus  restored, 
s  .-nothing  of  the  Polo  look.  It  still  remains  to 


23O  MARCO  POLO. 

prove  to  you  that  we  are  not  beggars,  forced  by 
want  to  make  false  pretensions  to  a  name  that 
is  not  ours." 

So  saying,  he  strode  through  the  room,  and 
for  a  moment  disappeared.  He  soon  returned, 
bringing  on  his  arm  the  shabby  Tartar  coats  in 
which  they  had  made  their  appearance  in  Venice. 

Laying  them  upon  the  table,  while  the  guests 
gathered  curiously  around  him,  Marco  began  to 
rip  open  the  seams  of  the  rough  coats.  Presently 
out  from  between  the  seams  rolled  a  great  num- 
ber of  large  and  beautiful  diamonds  and  emeralds, 
pearls,  torquoises,  rubies  and  sapphires !  Seam 
after  seam  was  torn  open,  and  more  and  more 
jewels  fell  upon  the  table ;  until  there  was  a  pile 
of  them  equal  in  value  to  a  very  considerable 
fortune. 

"You  see,  my  good  friends,"  said  Marco, 
"  that  we  have  not  returned  from  Cathay  quite 
penniless.  Before  leaving  the  court  of  the  great 
khan,  we  turned  all  our  property  into  these 
jewels,  which  might  be  easily  carried  ;  and  in 
order  both  to  carry  and  to  conceal  them  safely, 
we  had  them  sewed  up  as  you  see,  in  these  rude 
garments." 


A  STRANGE  WELCOME.  23! 

The  company  could  no  longer  doubt  that  the 
three  men  before  them  were  really  the  long-ab- 
sent Polos;  and  one  and  all  crowded  around 
them,  eager  to  be  forgiven  for  having  at  first 
denied  them. 

Ere  many  days  had  passed,  young  Maffeo, 
hearing  of  the  return  of  his  relatives,  reached 
home,  and  was  locked  in  the  embrace  of  his  father 
and  brother ;  and  now  the  wanderers  heard  the 
news  of  all  that  had  happened  during  their  ab- 
sence of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The 
elder  Maffeo's  wife  had  also  died,  and  this  intelli- 
gence for  a  while  filled  him  with  grief:  but 
happily  his  children  still  lived,  though  they  had 
grown  up,  and  were  scattered  in  different  parts  of 
Italy. 

The  Polos  were  soon  cozily  settled  once  more 
in  their  old  home ;  and  enjoyed,  it  may  well  be 
believed,  the  rest  and  luxury  which  it  afforded 
after  their  weary  travels. 


232  MARCO   POLO. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MARCO  POLO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS. 

|T  the  time  of  his  return  to  Venice,  Marco 
Polo  was  forty-one  years  of  age,  and  in  the 
full  vigor  and  prime  of  life.  His  wander- 
ings and  rough  career  had  given  him  a  powerful 
frame,  and  great  bodily  strength,  and  had  im- 
planted in  him  a  taste  for  adventure  and  action 
which  ill-suited  him  for  the  tranquillity  of  city  and 
commercial  life. 

No  sooner  had  his  identity  been  fully  recog- 
nized, than  all  Venice  hastened  to  do  him,  as  well 
as  his  father  and  uncle,  all  honor.  Every  day 
their  house  was  thronged  by  nobles  and  great 
ladies,  by  hosts  of  old  friends  and  new,  anxious 
to  pay  their  homage  to  the  heroic  travellers. 
An  office  of  high  rank  was  conferred  on  the  elder 
Maffeo ;  Nicolo  became  one  of  the  chief  gentle- 
men of  the  doge's  court;  and  Marco  was  over- 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  233 

whelmed  with  favors,  honors  and  attentions  by 
the  ruler  of  Venice.  Fetes  were  given  in  celebra- 
tion of  their  happy  return  ;  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  they  could  escape  the  profuse  atten, 
tions  which  were  showered  upon  them. 

Marco  became  a  special  hero  and  favorite  with 
the  young  Venetians,  who  vied  with  each  other 
in  seeking  his  friendship  and  companionship. 
Scarcely  a  day  passed  that  Marco  did  not  receive, 
at  his  father's  house,  a  company  of  young  men, 
who  sat  eagerly  listening  to  the  wonderful  stories 
he  had  to  tell  them  of  the  East.  They  plied  him 
with  a  multitude  of  questions  about  Cathay  and 
the  great  khan,  and  he  pleased  thorn  all  by  the 
willingness  and  pleasant  manner  with  which  he 
replied  to  every  one. 

It  happened  that  Marco,  in  describing  the  mag- 
nificence of  Kublai  Khan's  palace  and  court,  un- 
consciously gave  the  name  to  his  house,  by  which 
it  was  long  after  known.  He  constantly  repeated 
the  word  "  millions"  in  speaking  of  the  khan's 
treasure  and  possessions.  The  khan  had,  he 
said,  millions  of  money,  millions  of  subjects,  mil- 
lions of  jewels,  and  so  on  ;  so  that  the  young  men 
laughingly  called  him  "  Messer  Marco  Millions  ;* 


234  MARCO  POLO. 

and  from  this  the  Polo  house  became  known  as 
the  "  Court  of  the  Millions." 

When  the  excitement  and  rejoicings  attending 
their  return  home  were  over,  Marco  looked  about 
him  to  see  what  he  could  do  with  himself.  After 
such  a  life  as  his  had  been,  he  did  not  look  fon- 
ward  with  pleasure  to  a  career  of  mere  indolence. 
Amply  rich  by  reason  of  the  treasures  he  had 
brought  with  him  from  Cathay,  he  was  not 
compelled  to  contemplate  entering  into  business. 
He  desired  some  active,  and  if  possible,  adven- 
turous occupation.  Meanwhile,  he  now  bethought 
him  of  a  desire  he  had  long  had,  to  take  to  him- 
self a  life  partner,  in  the  person  of  some  young 
and  noble-born  Venetian  lady.  Before  leaving 
Cathay,  he  had  told  his  father  that,  on  their  re- 
turn, he  would  marry,  and  thus  perpetuate  the 
name  and  wealth  of  the  family ;  and  now 
seemed  a  favorable  time  to  put  this  design  into 
execution. 

He  began  to  look  about  him  with  a  view  to 
selecting  some  fair  companion.  There  were 
many  beauties  at  the  Venetian  court,  and  a  man  of 
Marco's  handsome,  manly  appearance  and  great 
fame  might  be  sure  of  a  favorable  hearing,  to 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  235 

whichever  of  them  he  chose  to  address  himself. 
But  before  he  had  been  able  to  make  his 
choice  amid  such  a  bevy  of  pretty  women,  an 
event  occurred  which  drew  him  away,  for  a  time, 
from  all  thoughts  of  marriage.  During  the  year 
before  the  return  of  the  Polos  from  the  East,  a 
fierce  war  had  broken  out  between  Venice  and 
her  ancient  and  bitter  rival,  the  city  of  Genoa. 
These  two  cities,  both  boasting  of  a  most  thriving 
commerce,  and  both  powerful  and  warlike,  had 
long  contested  with  each  other  the  supremacy  of 
the  seas.  Nearly  a  hundred  years  before,  Venice 
had  performed  the  feat  of  capturing  Constanti- 
nople, and  had  thus  won  the  alliance  of  the 
Eastern  Roman  Empire.  After  that  period, 
both  Venice  and  Genoa  had  established  many 
colonies  in  the  Levant,  on  the  shores  of  Asia 
Minor  and  Greece,  and  on  the  islands  that  dotted 
the  JEgean.  Fifty  years  after  the  taking  of  Con- 
stantinople by  Venice,  a  fierce  war  had  broken 
out  between  her  and  Genoa,  in  Asia  Minor,  re- 
sulting in  a  brilliant  triumph  by  Venice.  Then 
came  a  time  when  Genoa  in  turn  was  victorious, 
and  drove  her  rival  from  many  places  which 
Venice  had  taken  from. her. 


236  MARCO  POLO. 

The  new  war,  begun  in  1294,  when  Marco  and 
his  party  were  sailing  on  the  Indian  ocean,  home- 
ward bound,  had  at  first  been  favorable  to  the 
Genoese,  who  had  defeated  the  Venetians  in  a 
great  sea  battle  off  the  coast  of  Palestine,  taking 
almost  their  entire  fleet ;  and  this  war  was  still 
going  on  when  Marco  returned  to  Venice. 

News  had  now  come  that  the  Genoese  had 
fitted  out  a  formidable  squadron,  and  were  re- 
solved to  attack  the  proud  old  city  of  Venice 
itself.  They  had  won  so  many  victories,  that  they 
arrogantly  believed  that,  by  a  great  effort,  they 
might  capture  even  the  famed  capital  of  the  doges 
The  news  of  this  approaching  peril  filled  Venice 
with  excitement  and  fury.  The  haughty  Ven- 
etians were  beside  themselves  with  rage  to  think 
that  so  audacious  a  plan  should  bethought  of  by 
their  ancient  foes ;  and  every  preparation  was 
made  in  all  haste  to  give  them  a  hot  reception. 

The  doge  called  upon  every  Venetian  cavalier 
to  aid  in  saving  their  beloved  city  from  a  crowning 
disgrace  ;  and  his  call  was  promptly  obeyed  by  all 
the  flower  of  Venetian  chivalry.  Marco  Polo's 
heart  was  fired  with  patriotic  ardor  among  the 
foremost.  He  saw  with  delight  a  chance  to  return 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  237 

to  a  life  of  action  and  peril,  and  to  win  new  laurels 
by  his  prowess  ;  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  to 
offer  his  sword  and  his  life  to  the  doge.  No 
sooner  had  he  done  so,  than  he  was  appointed  to 
the  command  of  one  of  the  galleys  in  the  fleet 
which  was  being  rapidly  prepared  to  resist  that  of 
the  Genoese. 

The  enemy's  expedition,  comprising  nearly  one 
hundred  war  galleys,  was  commanded  by  a  famous 
admiral,  named  Doria.  Soon  the  news  reached 
Venice  that  this  fleet  had  assembled  at  the  Gulf 
of  Spezia,  near  Genoa,  and  had  thence  set  sail 
around  the  Italian  peninsula  for  the  Adriatic. 
Then  couriers  arrived  with  the  startling  intelli- 
gence that  the  Genoese  galleys  were  actually  in 
the  Adriatic,  and  were  rapidly  approaching  Venice 
itself. 

But  at  this  moment  the  elements  served  as  the 
ally  of  the  Venetians.  A  furious  storm  of  wind 
and  rain  broke  over  the  Genoese  fleet ;  Doria 
hastened  to  put  into  a  port  on  the  Dalmatian 
coast,  with  such  galleys  as  he  could  gather  ;  while 
some  sixteen  of  his  galleys  were  swept  far  away 
from  him  by  the  tempest. 

When  the  storm  abated,  Doria  was  forced  to 


238  MARCO  POLO. 

pursue  his  design  with  about  eighty  galleys. 
After  ravaging  the  Dalmatian  coast,  the  greater 
part  of  which  belonged  to  Venice,  the  Genoese 
advanced  to  the  island  of  Curzola,  the  same  that 
the  ancient  Greeks  called  Corcyra.  Here  he  put 
in  at  the  harbor  of  the  chief  town,  which,  as  it 
belonged  to  the  Venetians,  Doria  ruthlessly  sacked 
and  burned.  All  these  events  were  learned  by  the 
doge  soon  after  they  had  occurred  ;  and  now  a 
Venetian  fleet  had  been  collected,  comprising 
ninety-five  galleys,  and  put  under  the  command 
of  a  veteran  sea-warrior  named  Dandolo. 

The  Genoese  fleet  were  riding  confidently  at 
anchor  in  the  bay  of  Curzola,  when,  one  hazy 
afternoon  in  early  September,  they  perceived  the 
Venetian  galleys  in  close  ranks,  approaching  from 
the  southern  side  of  the  island.  They  came  to 
anchor  in  sight  of  the  Genoese,  and  the  sun  went 
down  upon  the  two  fleets  confronting  each  other, 
and  only  waiting  for  the  morning  light  to  engage 
in  a  deadly  conflict. 

Both  sides  were  very  sure  of  victory.  After 
the  night  had  fallen  Doria,  the  Genoese  admiral, 
called  a  council  of  war,  and  put  the  question 
whether  they  should  attack  the  enemy  in  the 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  239 

morning,  or  stand  on  the  defensive  and  await  his 
assault  where  they  were.  It  was  decided  to  at- 
tack. At  the  same  time  the  Venetian  commander, 
Dandolo,  was  so  confident  of  beating  the  Genoese, 
that  he  was  sending  out  boats  to  watch  that 
the  Genoese  did  not  sneak  away  under  cover  of 
night.  Marco  Polo  was  in  command  of  his 
galley  in  Dandolo's  fleet ;  and  no  warrior  in  it 
was  more  passionately  eager  than  he  for  the 
fray. 

The  sun  rose  bright  and  clear  on  the  next 
morning,  which  was  a  Sunday.  From  earliest 
dawn  the  greatest  activity  prevailed  in  both 
fleets.  The  long  galleys,  with  their  multitudes 
of  slim  oars,  their  many  flags  flying  and  flutter- 
ing in  the  fresh  breeze,  their  warriors,  with  shield, 
sword  and  lance,  crowded  not  only  on  the  deck, 
but  on  platforms  raised  above  it,  and  in  basket- 
like  boxes  hoisted  nearly  to  the  tops  of  the 
masts,  their  trumpeters  blowing  martial  blasts  in 
raised  enclosures  near  the  stern,  their  captains 
shouting  hoarsely  the  words  of  command,  pre- 
sented a  gay  and  bold  appearance  as  they  ad- 
vanced to  meet  the  foe.  Marco's  galley  was  one 
of  the  largest  and  best-manned  in  Dandolo's 


24O  MARCO   POLO. 

fleet ;  and  as  the  vessels  sped  forward,  was  one 
of  those  which  led  the  way. 

The  Genoese  had  resolved  to  make  the  attack ; 
but  to  their  surprise,  the  Venetians  appeared 
coming  down  upon  them  the  first  thing  in  the 
morning.  The  Venetian  galleys  had  full  sail 
on,  for  the  wind  was  in  their  favor.  On  the  other 
hand,  as  they  were  proceeding  eastward,  the  sun 
shone  directly  in  their  eyes.  The  air  was  filled 
with  the  noise  of  their  trumpets  and  the  shout- 
ing of  the  warriors;  and  there  was  a  moment 
when  Doria,  seeing  his  enemy's  brave  array  and 
bold  advance,  trembled  lest  they  should  overcome 
him. 

The  first  shock  of  the  battle  seemed  to  give 
reason  to  his  fears.  The  Venetian  galleys  came 
on  with  an  impetuous  rush,  and  plunged  pellmell 
among  those  of  Genoa.  Before  Doria  was  able 
to  make  a  single  stroke,  no  less  than  ten  of  his 
galleys  had  been  captured  and  sunk,  Marco  Polo 
having  been  one  of  the  capturers.  But  the  Vene- 
tians had  advanced  too  nmiclly,  as  the  event  soon 
showed;  for  scarcely  had  Dandolo  heard  with 
joy  of  the  taking  of  the  ten  galleys,  when  word 
came  to  him  that  several  of  his  own  boats  had 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  24! 

run  aground.  This  was  a  great  misfortune.  It 
was  soon  to  be  followed  by  the  capture  of  one  oi 
his  largest  galleys,  the  soldiers  in  which  werd 
thrown  by  the  Genoese  into  the  water ;  and  the 
galley  itself  was  turned  against  Dandolo.  The  tide 
of  battle,  raging  fiercely,  had  seemed  at  first  to 
run  decidely  in  favor  of  the  Venetians.  But  now 
it  turned.  The  Venetians  became  confused  and 
desperate  by  these  mishaps ;  while  the  Genoese 
were  filled  with  new  hope  and  courage.  Never, 
theless,  the  conflict  went  on  desperately  for  hours, 
victory  inclining  now  to  one  side  and  now  to  the 
other. 

Marco,  with  his  galley,  fought  like  a  lion.  He 
stood  on  a  platform  above  his  men,  and  kept 
encouraging  them  by  his  shouts  and  his  own 
example.  Every  now  and  then,  fired  by  the  ex- 
citement of  the  fray,  he  would  descend  from  the 
platform,  and  drawing  his  long  sword,  would  rush 
into  the  midst,  and  rain  sturdy  blows  upon  the 
heads  of  the  Genoese  in  reach  of  it. 

The  contest  had  gone  on  till  the  sun  was  far  in 
the  west,  when  the  Genoese  fleet,  rallying  to- 
gether for  a  desperate  rush,  formed  a  close  rank 
of  galleys,  and  plunged  straight  down  upon 


242  MARCO  POLO. 

Dandolo's  boats.  So  impetuous  was  the  assault 
that  it  scattered  the  Venetian  galleys  right  and 
left.  At  this  critical  moment,  an  event  occurred 
that  completed  the  defeat  and  destruction  of  the 
brave  Venetians.  Sixteen  Genoese  galleys, 
which  had  been  driven  away  from  the  rest  of  the 
Genoese  fleet,  in  the  storm  which  had  assailed 
it  on  entering  the  Adriatic,  now  came  up,  and  fell 
upon  the  Venetian  vessels  with  crushing  force. 

This  decided  the  battle.  Venetian  galleys,  one 
after  another,  were  sunk  or  captured,  the  men 
resisting  heroically  to  the  last ;  until  nearly  every 
galley  which  still  floated  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  victorious  Genoese.  A  few  escaped,  and 
made  all  sail  for  Venice ;  but  among  the  captive 
vessels  was  the  admiral's  ship,  in  which  Dandolo 
himself  was  taken. 

One  of  the  very  last  galleys  to  yield  to  the 
conqueror  was  that  of  Marco  Polo.  He  contested 
every  inch  with  the  foe,  and  it  was  only  after  his 
masts  had  gone,  his  men  had  been  dreadfully 
thinned  out,  and  all  the  other  Venetian  galleys 
around  him  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Genoese,  that  he  sadly  surrendered  and  shared 
the  humiliating  fate  of  his  brave  commander0 


MARCO    GOES   TO  THE  WARS.  243 

1  .e  prisoners  were  all  taken  into  port,  where 
the}  were  forced  to  witness  the  exultant  re- 
joicing of  their  enemies.  The  commanders  of  the 
captured  galleys  were  confined  in  a  house  to- 
gether, and  Marco  found  himself  in  company  with 
Dandolo.  The  Venetian  admiral  was  over- 
whelmed with  grief  at  his  defeat.  In  spite  of  the 
entreaties  of  his  guard  and  of  Marco  himself, 
Dandolo  utterly  refused  to  take  any  food ;  and 
one  day,  in  utter  despair,  he  threw  himself  down, 
violently  struck  his  head  against  a  bench,  and 
thus  killed  himself.  He  preferred  to  die  thus, 
rather  than  be  carried  a  prisoner  to  hated  Genoa. 

Doria  heard  with  grief  of  the  violent  death  of 
his  gallant  enemy,  and  ordered  that  Dandolo's 
body  should  be  embalmed  and  carried  to  Genoa, 
where  a  funeral  worthy  of  his  fame  should  be 
given  him.  Having  rested  his  army  and  repaired 
his  galleys,  Doria,  ordering  his  prisoners  to  be 
chained  and  put  on  board,  set  sail  for  his  own 
city. 

This  was  a  dreary  moment,  indeed,  for  Marco  ; 
a  sad  ending  to  his  ambition  for  military  glory. 
Instead  of  returning  home  bearing  the  honors  of 
his  prowess,  he  was  a  captive,  loaded  with  chains, 


244  MARCO   POLO. 

and  on  the  way  to  prison  in  a  strange  and  hostile 
country.  Here  was  a  sorrowful  termination  to 
his  plans  of  marriage,  and  his  hope  of  sitting  in 
the  midst  of  a  family  of  blooming  children.  In- 
stead of  his  luxurious  home  in  the  Court  of  the 
Millions,  a  bare  dark  cell  was  destined  to  be  his 
lot.  But  he  bore  up  bravely  in  the  midst  of  his 
misfortunes.  His  nature  was  so  cheerful  a  one, 
that  instead  of  brooding,  he  tried  to  encourage 
and  enliven  his  fellow  prisoners;  and  won  the 
liking  of  the  Genoese  soldiers  whose  duty  it  was 
to  guard  and  serve  him. 

In  due  time  the  victorious  fleet  reached  Genoa, 
and  was  received  with  the  wildest  demonstrations 
of  delight.  The  ships  in  the  beautiful  bay  dis- 
played their  flags  and  banners  ;  the  great  nobles 
vied  with  each  other  in  paying  honor  to  Doria ; 
and  a  splendid  funeral  was  awarded  to  the  dead 
Venetian  admiral.  The  prisoners,  still  in  chains, 
were  marched  through  the  streets,  bounded  on 
either  side  by  stately  palaces,  and  were  jeered  at 
by  the  multitude  as  they  passed  along.  Finally, 
to  Marco's  great  relief,  they  reached  a  massive  and 
gloomy  edifice,  not  far  from  the  quays,  into  which 
they  were  taken,  and  distributed  in  narrow  cells. 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  245 

For  some  time,  at  first,  Marco  feared  that  his 
captors  had  doomed  him  to  all  the  horrors  of  soli- 
tary imprisonment.  He  was  aghast  at  the  id«a 
of  spending  months,  perhaps  years,  shut  up  in 
darkness  and  dampness,  utterly  alone,  with  no 
companion,  however  humble,  to  share  his  solitude. 
He  was  greatly  relieved,  therefore,  when  one  day 
after  he  had  been  in  prison  about  a  week,  the 
governor  of  the  jail  entered  his  cell,  followed  by 
a  grave,  scholarly-  looking  man,  to  whom  the 
governor  introduced  Marco  as  his  future  prison- 
mate. 

As  soon  as  the  governor  had  retired,  Marco 
rushed  forward  and  grasped  the  new-comer  by 
the  hand,  eagerly  asking  him  who  he  was  and 
whence  he  came. 

"  I  am  Rustician,  a  gentleman  of  Pisa,"  replied 
the  stranger;  "and  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Genoese  several  years  ago.  Ever  since,  I  have 
languished  in  one  prison  or  another;  but  now, 
since  such  large  numbers  of  you  Venetians  have 
been  taken,  the  prisons  of  Genoa  are  full,  and 
they  are  obliged  to  put  two  men  in  each  cell. 
And  who,  pray,  are  you  ?" 

Marco  told  the  Pisan  who  he  was,  and  gave  him 


246  MARCO  POLO. 

a  full  account  of  his  wanderings ;  and  speedily 
they  found  themselves  fast  friends. 

The  Pisan  proved  to  be  a  scholar  and  writer 
of  rare  accomplishments,  and  he,  in  turn,  was 
delighted  to  find,  in  his  fellow-prisoner,  a  man 
who  had  seen  so  much  of  a  continent  almost 
wholly  unknown  to  Europeans.  The  companion- 
ship of  Rustician,  indeed,  made  Marco's  prison 
life  almost  cheerful.  They  talked  to  each  other 
by  the  hour,  Marco  listening  to  Rustician's 
learned  conversation,  and  Rustician  eagerly  ab- 
sorbing Marco's  stories  of  the  marvels  of  the  East. 
Meanwhile,  the  severity  of  their  prison  life  was 
gradually  relaxed,  until  at  last  they  were  allowed 
comfortable  couches  to  sleep  on,  and  an  abun- 
dance of  palatable  food  at  their  daily  meals. 

The  prison  was  a  large  one,  and  contained 
several  hundred  prisoners;  these  were  for  the 
most  part  Venetians  who,  like  Marco,  had  been 
taken  in  the  battle  of  Curzola.  After  a  time,  the 
prisoners  were  allowed  to  see  and  talk  with  each 
other  at  certain  hours  of  the  day ;  a  permission  of 
which  Marco  eagerly  availed  himself.  He  found 
many  of  his  friends  among  the  prisoners,  as  well 
as  a  number  of  the  men  who  had  served  on  board 


MARCO  GOES  TO  THE  WARS.  247 

his  own  galley.  Among  other  privileges  which 
were  now  allowed  the  captives,  were  those  of 
having  books  and  writing  materials  in  their  cells, 
and  of  writing  to  and  receiving  letters  from  their 
friends  at  home ;  and  Marco  took  good  care  to 
send  his  father  a  full  account  of  all  that  happened 
to  him  in  prison. 

But  his  chief  pleasure  was  to  talk  with  his  room- 
mate, the  gentle  and  learned  Rustician.  They 
had  speedily  become  close  and  loving  friends ;  and 
Rustician,  as  soon  as  they  were  allowed  pen  and 
ink,  bethought  him  of  a  way  to  pass  the  weary 
hours,  for  which  the  world  owes  him  a  deep  debt 
of  gratitude.  He  proposed  to  Marco  that  he 
should  sit  down  day  after  day,  and  relate,  in  due 
order,  all  his  travels  and  what  befel  him  in  the 
East,  describing  the  countries  and  peoples  he  had 
seen,  and  the  many  adventures  which  had  hap- 
pened to  him  ;  while  Rustician  himself,  sitting 
at  the  little  prison  table,  should  carefully  write 
off  Marco's  thrilling  story.  To  this  Marco  readily 
consented ;  and  the  next  day  the  two  captives 
set  to  work  upon  their  new  labor  in  good  earnest 


248  MARCO  POLO. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MARCO  POLO  A  PRISONER. 


POLO  had  accepted  Rusticiano's 
proposition,  to  dictate  to  him  an  account 
of  his  travels,  with  pleasure.  It  afforded 
a  grateful  relief  from  the  monotony  of  prison 
life;  and,  besides,  Marco  well  knew  that  the 
wonderful  narrative  would  perpetuate  his  fame 
long  after  he  himself  was  dead. 

We  may  picture  to  ourselves  the  two  men, 
seated  on  the  rude  chairs  of  their  cell  ;  Marco 
leaning  against  the  wall,  and  leisurely  recount- 
ing his  adventures,  while  the  grave  Rusticiano 
slowly  wrote  at  the  table.  Sometimes  the 
scholar  would  stop,  and  look  at  Marco  with  in- 
credulous amazement,  as  he  related  some  story 
that  seemed  to  Rusticiano  beyond  belief;  but 
Marco  would  nod  his  head  emphatically,  and 
assert  that  what  he  told  was  not  half  the  truth. 


MARCO  A  PRISONER.  249 

Then  Rusticiano  would  quietly  shrug  his 
shoulders,  and  go  on  writing. 

Thus  sped  quickly  the  hours,  days,  and  weeks. 
The  imprisonment  of  both  seemed  the  shorter 
for  this  pleasant  labor ;  and  Rusticiano  was  very 
careful,  when  the  day's  work  was  over,  to  deposit 
the  precious  manuscript  where  it  would  be  safe. 

Meanwhile,  the  rules  of  the  prison  were 
gradually  relaxed  in  Marco's  favor.  He  was 
allowed  to  roam  about  the  gloomy  old  edifice 
pretty  much  as  he  pleased,  and  to  take  ample 
exercise  in  the  courtyard.  Gradually  it  became 
known  in  Genoa  and  the  country  round  about, 
that  a  famous  Venetian  traveller  occupied  the 
prison,  and  then  Marco  began  to  receive  many 
visits  from  the  principal  personages  of  the  city. 
Crowds  gathered  at  the  prison  gate  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  him  ;  dames  of  noble  rank  sent  him 
presents  of  books  and  rare  wines.  The  carriages 
of  noblemen  jostled  each  other  at  the  prison 
gates,  as  their  occupants  waited  for  an  oppor- 
tunity of  talking  with  the  traveller.  The  governor 
of  the  prison  invited  Marco  and  his  companion 
Rusticiano,  to  dine  at  IMS  t.ible;  and  finally,  they 
were  transferred  to  another  c?!l  which  was  1 


25O  MARCO   POLO. 

well  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  handsomely  and 
luxuriously  furnished ;  while  the  food  placed 
before  them  was  as  rich  and  various  as  that 
supplied  to  a  nobleman's  family. 

The  prisoners  now  lived  in  the  greatest  com, 
fort.  The  walls  were  lined  with  book  shelves; 
they  slept  on  soft  couches  at  night ;  and,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  heavy  bars  across  the  windows, 
they  would  have  scarcely  known  that  they  were 
prisoners  at  all.  Every  day  their  apartment — for 
it  could  no  longer  be  called  a  cell — was  thronged 
with  visitors ;  and  every  little  while  Marco  gave 
dinners  and  suppers  to  his  visitors,  and  made 
very  merry  with  them.  Months  thus  passed,  not 
wholly  without  their  pleasures  and  consolations. 
But  Marco  often  grieved  at  his  situation,  and  be- 
came impatient  to  regain  his  freedom.  It  seemed 
cruel  that,  no  sooner  had  he  found  himself  at  home 
after  his  long  sojourn  in  the  east,  he  should  have 
been  captured  and  doomed  to  suffer  exile  and  the 
grim  slavery  of  dungeon  walls.  He  longed  to 
breathe  once  more  the  free  air  of  Venice,  to 
settle  down  among  his  kindred,  and  to  reap  the 
reward  of  all  his  toils,  in  the  establishment  of  a 
family  and  the  enjoyment  of  his  well-earned 


MARCO   A   PRISONER.  25! 

riches.  Yet  there  seemed  no  prospect  of  his 
captivity  coming  to  an  end.  He  knew  that 
Venetians  were  often  kept  prisoners  at  Genoa 
for  many  years,  and  he  saw  no  reason  to  hope 
that  he  would  be  set  at  liberty  sooner  than  the 
rest. 

One  day,  after  he  had  been  at  Genoa  about  five 
months,  Marco  was  sitting  at  his  table  with 
Rusticiano,  reading,  when  the  door  of  his  room 
was  thrown  open,  and  two  men  entered.  At  first 
Marco  did  not  recognize  them ;  but  when  one  of 
them  advanced,  and  took  off  his  cap,  he  saw  that 
it  was  his  father,  Nicolo,  and  that  his  com- 
panion was  Marco's  brother,  Maffeo.  In  a 
moment  Marco  was  locked  in  his  father's  close 
embrace.  The  emotion  of  all  three  at  meeting 
was  so  great,  that  for  a  while  neither  could 
speak.  At  last  Marco  exclaimed : 

"  You  have  filled  me  with  joy,  father  and 
brother,  by  coming  to  me !  How  did  you  ven- 
ture into  the  territory  of  our  enemies  ?" 

"  I  could  bear  no  longer  the  thought  of  your 
imprisonment,"  answered  Nicolo,  wiping  his 
eyes ;  "  and  so  I  sought  and  procured  the  consent 
of  the  Geneose  to  come  hither,  and  see  you- 


252  MARCO  POLO. 

my  dear  son,  and  to  try  to  obtain  your  liberty." 
"Alas,  father,"  returned  Marco,  shaking  his 
head  mournfully,  "  I  fear  it  will  be  of  no  avail. 
The  Genoese  treat  me  with  the  most  generous 
kindness,  but  they  have  no  idea  of  setting  me 
free." 

Nicolo  groaned  as  he  heard  these  words ;  but 
Maffeo  with  cheerful  voice,  said,  "  Do  not  des- 
pair, father.  We  come  with  the  offer  of  a  heavy 
ransom.  Perhaps  the  Genoese  will  yield  to  a 
golden  argument." 

"  We  can  but  try,"  replied  Nicolo.  Then  all 
three  sat  down,  and  began  to  talk  of  all  that  had 
happened  to  them  since  the  time  they  had  parted 
at  Venice.  Marco  told  his  father  and  brother  the 
history  of  his  prison  life,  the  indulgence  shown 
him  by  his  captors,  and  the  consolation  he  had 
had  in  the  friendship  of  the  learned  and  warm- 
hearted Rusticiano.  Of  home  news  that  Nicolo 
gave  him  in  return,  there  was  little  that  was  in- 
teresting. This  friend  had  married  and  that 
friend  had  died,  but  the  course  of  life  at  their  own 
home  had  gone  smoothly  on.  Marco  observed 
that  his  father  was  more  bent,  gray  and  feeble 
than  when  he  had  seen  him  last;  and  knew  that 


MARCO   A   PRISONER.  253 

grief  at  his  own  misfortunes  was,  in  part  at  least, 
the  cause  of  Nicole's  altered  appearance. 

The  effort  to  secure  his  liberty  proved,  as 
Marco  had  predicted,  unsuccessful.  In  vain 
Nicolo  offered  the  Genoese  a  large  sum  as  a  ran- 
som ;  they  refused  to  think  of  setting  Marco  free. 
But  Nicolo  at  least  procured  one  privilege  for  his 
son.  The  government  consented  that  Marco 
should  be  released  from  prison  and  live  as  he 
pleased  in  the  city,  on  condition  that  he  would 
give  his  word  of  honor  that  he  would  not  attempt 
to  escape  from  it. 

Nicolo  hastened  to  the  prison  with  the  news  of 
this  fresh  favor,  and  Marco  was  delighted  at  least 
to  bid  adieu  to  the  gloomy  walls  which  had  so 
long  confined  him.  His  effects  were  soon  packed, 
and  he  took  up  his  residence  in  one  of  the  best 
inns  in  Genoa.  He  parted  from  Rusticiano  with 
much  regret,  and  promised  that  he  would  come 
to  the  prison  very  often  and  see  him,  and  would 
try  to  procure  the  same  favor  for  his  friend  that 
he  himself  had  just  secured.  This  he  soon  after 
succeeded  in  accomplishing. 

It  was  with  keen  sorrow  that  Marco  parted 
from  his  father  and  brother.  It  seemed  very 


254  MARCO   POLO. 

doubtful  whether  he  should  ever  see  Nicolo 
again  ;  he  himself  might  be  kept  at  Genoa  for 
the  rest  of  his  life,  and  he  felt  very  unhappy  to 
be  left  behind,  while  his  father  and  brother  were 
free  to  return  to  Venice. 

But  in  his  new  situation  Marco  soon  recovered 
his  buoyant  spirits.  No  longer  treated  as  a  pris- 
oner, he  lived  like  a  Genoese  gentleman,  and  had 
as  his  friends  and  companions  men  of  wealth  and 
rank.  Wherever  he  went  he  was  treated  with  great 
honor  and  respect.  He  was  invited  to  all  the 
fashionable  balls  and  fetes,  and  often  attended 
them  ;  and  with  his  ample  means,  was  able  to  in- 
dulge his  desires  and  tastes  as  he  pleased. 

It  has  already  been  said  that,  before  leaving  the 
court  of  the  great  khan,  Marco  had  made  up  his 
mind  that  on  reaching  home,  he  would  marry, 
and  rear  a  family  of  children.  His  departure  for 
the  war  had  postponed  the  execution  of  this  design, 
and  now  there  seemed  no  prospect  that  he  could 
carry  it  out.  He  desired  to  perpetuate  his  name, 
family,  and  property ;  yet  now,  when  he  was  over 
forty  years  old,  he  found  himself  still  a  bachelor. 

But  though  Marco  could  not,  situated  as  he 
was,  think  of  marriage,  his  father  Nicolo  had  not 


MARCO  A  PRISONER. 

experienced  the  same  difficulty;  for,  old  as  he 
was,  Nicolo,  some  time  before  Marco  had  been 
taken  prisoner,  had  taken  to  himself  a  new 
wife.  Marco's  new  step-mother  was  considerably 
younger  than  himself;  and  he  was  rejoiced  to 
think  that  now,  in  all  probability,  the  family 
name  and  fame  was  in  no  danger  of  dying  out. 

In  course  of  time  the  news  came  to  him  of  the 
birth  of  a  little  step-brother;  and  Marco  was 
greatly  amused  to  think  of  being  the  brother  at 
over  forty,  of  a  little  fellow  just  come  into  the 
world.  Then  he  heard  the  sad  intelligence  that  his 
father  Nicolo  had  suddenly  died,  leaving  his  young 
widow  and  child.  Marco  grieved  much  that  he 
could  not  have  been  at  the  old  man's  bedside  in 
his  last  hours.  He  sent  word  to  Venice  that  a 
splendid  tomb  should  be  erected  in  Nicole's 
honored  memory,  in  the  Church  of  San  Lorenzo, 
at  his  own  expense.  This  tomb,  consisting  of  a 
sarcophagus  of  solid  stone,  upon  which  was  en- 
graved the  coat-of-arms  of  the  Polos,  long  stood 
under  the  portico  of  that  venerable  edifice. 

The  quarrel  between  Venice  and  Genoa,  which 
had  now  lasted  for  many  years,  and  still  continued, 
was  the  cause  why  Marco  and  his  comrades  in 


256  MARCO  POLO. 

the  war  were  yet  retained  as  prisoners.  Many 
attempts  had  been  made  to  bring  about  peace 
between  the  rival  cities,  each  of  whom  proudly 
claimed  to  be  queen  of  the  sea.  After  Marco  had 
been  at  Genoa  about  a  year,  he  heard  one  day 
with  great  delight  that  the  Prince  of  Milan  had 
become  a  mediator  between  the  two  foes,  and 
was  making  every  effort  to  induce  them  to  come 
to  terms.  Both  Venice  and  Genoa,  indeed,  were 
tired  of  the  long  strife,  which  had  not  resulted  in 
any  very  important  gain  on  either  side  ;  and  the 
Prince  of  Milan  did  not  find  it  very  difficult  to 
make  them  listen  to  reason.  Envoys  from 
Venice  and  Genoa  went  to  Milan,  and  after  they 
had  talked  the  matter  over  with  each  other, 
finally  agreed  upon  terms  of  peace.  Among 
these  terms  were,  that  when  the  treaty  was  signed 
the  prisoners  on  both  sides  should  be  released  and 
returned  to  their  homes.  In  due  time  the  news 
came  that  the  doge  of  Venice  and  duke  of 
Genoa  had  both  signed  the  treaty,  and  that  the 
two  cities  were  friends  again. 

Marco  was  entertaining  a  number  of  friends  at 
supper  when  it  was  announced  to  him  that  he 
was  at  last  free  to  return  to  Venice.  Among  his 


MARCO  A  PRISONER.  257 

guests  were  some  Venetians,  who  like  himself 
were  prisoners,  and  who  had  been  allowed  to  re- 
side outside  the  prison  walls.  These  rose  from 
the  table  and,  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  embraced 
each  other  and  Marco.  The  Genoese  gentlemen 
who  were  present  exclaimed  that  now  the  Vene- 
tians were  their  brothers,  and  a  scene  of  great  hi- 
larity and  rejoicing  followed,  and  was  continued 
far  into  the  night. 

But  Marco,  though  free,  was  not  allowed  to 
depart  at  once.  His  many  Genoese  friends,  who 
had  already  become  strongly  attached  to  him, 
insisted  that  he  should  attend  the  banquets  and 
fetes  which  were  to  celebrate  the  return  of  peace, 
and  some  of  which  were  to  be  given  in  his  own 
honor.  The  duke  of  Genoa  invited  all  the  high 
nobility  of  the  "City  of  Palaces"  to  his  own  pal- 
ace, where  night  was  turned  into  day  by  gorgeous 
illuminations,  and  from  whose  towers  floated 
the  flags  of  the  sister  cities  between  whom  con- 
cord once  more  reigned.  Among  the  brilliant 
throng,  Marco's  stalwart  form  and  handsome 
face  were  conspicuous,  and  everywhere  he  went 
he  was  surrounded  by  admiring  groups.  The 
duke  himself  invited  Marco  to  walk  beside  him  i  i 


258  MARCO    POLO. 

the  banqueting  hall,  where  he  was  placed  at  the 
sovereign's  right  hand.  At  the  duke's  fete,  too, 
were  very  many  of  the  gallant  Venetians  who 
had  fought  with  Marco  at  Curzola,  and  had  since 
shared  his  captivity. 

Now  that  friendship  was  restored  between  the 
two  cities,  the  Genoese  were  resolved  to  treat 
their  late  prisoners  with  all  honor  and  attention. 
A  fleet  of  galleys  was  ordered  to  anchor  in  the 
picturesque  bay,  for  the  purpose  of  transporting 
the  Venetians  home.  These  were  fitted  up  with 
every  luxury  and  comfort,  that  the  voyage  might 
be  as  pleasant  as  possible;  and  a  store  of  pro- 
visions was  stored  away  in  them,  comprising  good 
things  enough  to  supply  the  travellers  with  boun- 
teous meals  throughout  the  transit. 

Before  Marco  took  his  departure,  he  paid  a  visit 
to  his  old  prison  comrade,  the  worthy  Rusticiano. 
Rusticiano  was  still  a  prisoner,  though  Genoa 
had  just  made  peace  with  Pisa,  and  he  was  look- 
ing forward  to  a  speedy  release.  The  interview  be- 
tween the  two  friends  was  therefore  a  very  happy 
one ;  and  Marco  made  Rusticiano  promise  that, 
ere  long,  he  would  pay  him  a  visit  in  Venice. 

On  a  hot  morning  in  the  midsummer  of  1299, 


MARCO   A   PRISONER. 

the  Venetians  embarked  on  the  galleys,  home- 
ward  bound.  A  vast  crowd  of  Genoese  thronged 
the  quays  to  see  them  off  and  bid  them  God 
speed  on  their  voyage.  Marco,  on  reaching  the 
scene  of  departure,  was  almost  suffocated  by  the 
warm  reception  given  him  by  his  Genoese  friends. 
They  pressed  close  around  him  and  embraced 
him,  and  would  scarcely  let  him  go  to  proceed  on 
board  his  galley. 

At  last  he  found  himself  standing  upon  the 
deck,  and  gazing  for  the  last  time  at  the  noble 
and  stately  city  which  had  dealt  so  gently  with 
him  as  a  captive,  and  where,  in  spite  of  his  cap- 
tivity, he  had  formed  so  many  pleasant  ties  and 
passed  so  many  happy  hours.  The  signal  was 
given  ;  the  fleet  of  galleys,  gay  with  flags  and 
pennons,  and  alive  with  the  quick  movements  of 
the  many  long  oars,  glided  away  from  the  quays ; 
the  multitude  on  shore  gave  a  great  shout  of 
farewell,  the  Genoese  ladies  waving  their  veils, 
and  the  men  their  plumed  hats ;  and  soon  the 
vineclad  eminences  and  long  lines  of  palaces  dis- 
appeared from  view. 

Meanwhile  word  had  gone  to  Venice  that  the 
prisoners  had  been  released,  and  were  on  their 


26O  MARCO   POLO. 

way  home  by  sea.  Immediately  the  city  was 
thrown  into  a  great  commotion.  It  was  resolved 
that  the  heroes  of  Curzola  should  have  a  reception 
worthy  of  their  bravery  and  their  misfortunes ; 
and  every  preparation  was  made  to  greet  them 
with  the  most  distinguished  honors.  Among  the 
prisoners,  who  numbered  more  than  a  thousand, 
were  many  Venetian  youths  of  noble  birth,  the 
hopes  of  haughty  houses,  the  beloved  of  many 
a  fair  damsel  of  rank  and  beauty.  It  seemed,  in- 
deed, as  if  there  were  scarcely  a  noble  family  in 
Venice  who  had  not  been  bereft  of  a  son  in  the 
heroic  but  disastrous  sea-fight. 

Had  there  been  powder  in  these  times,  no  doubt 
the  cannon  would  have  boomed  forth  a  deafening 
roar  of  boisterous  welcome  as,  on  the  misty  Au- 
gust afternoon,  the  fleet  of  Genoese  galleys  made 
its  appearance  in  the  Gulf  of  Venice.  As  it  was, 
the  whole  city  seemed  fluttering  with  flags  and 
banners ;  from  the  doge's  palace  and  the  lofty 
Campanile,  from  the  Byzantine  domes  and  pina- 
cles  of  St.  Mark's,  from  the  spires  of  churches  and 
the  summits  of  bell  towers,  waved  innumerable 
standards,  bearing  the  national  device  of  the 
'winged  lion.  Towards  t'.ie  ruays,  cvi-ry  1  ..ilcony 


MARCO  A  PRISONER.  26l 

of  the  ducal  palace  and  the  council  houses,  the 
palaces  of  the  proud  nobles  of  Venice,  and  the 
terraces  on  the  edge  of  the  grand  canal,  were 
thronged  with  a  gay  and  excited  multitude. 
The  doge  himself,  with  his  long,  pointed  cap,  his 
rich  robes  sweeping  the  ground,  and  his  white 
beard  flowing  over  his  breast,  stood,  surrounded 
by  his  brilliant  court,  on  the  quay  in  front  of  his 
palace ;  while  on  every  side  of  the  square  was 
drawn  up  the  flower  of  the  Venetian  army,  the 
lancers  and  cross-bow-men  being  conspicuous.  In 
the  bay  and  canal,  countless  gondolas  awaited  the 
arrival.  As  the  fleet  of  galleys  came  nearer,  they 
were  greeted  by  the  long  and  loud  applause  of 
the  multitude  on  shore ;  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  the  soldiers  prevented  the  crowd  from 
invading  the  quay  where  the  prisoners  were  to 
land.  At  last  the  galleys  were  safely  moored. 
The  oarsmen  raised  their  oars,  and  held  them 
upright  in  long  lines  along  the  decks.  Then  the 
prisoners,  in  groups  of  twos  and  threes,  advanced 
up  the  planks,  and  sprang  on  shore.  First  they  ad- 
vanced to  the  doge,  who  welcomed  them  with  cor- 
dial words  of  affection  and  praise.  Then  each 
sought  his  parents,  sweethearts  or  friends,  in  the 
swaying  crowd  or  on  the  overflowing  balconies. 


262  MARCO   POLO. 

Marco  soon  found  himself  in  the  arms  of  his 
brother  and  uncle,  while  other  relatives  and  friends 
huddled  excitedly  around  him.  They  talked  to 
each  other  rapidly  and  earnestly ;  and  as  soon 
as  they  could  make  their  way  through  the  crowd, 
they  hastened  across  the  square  of  St.  Mark,  and 
taking  a  gondola,  were  soon  speeding  towards 
the  street  of  San  Giovanni  Chrysostomo.  The 
retainers  of  the  household  were  waiting  in  a  group 
in  front  of  the  "  Court  of  the  Millions"  to  wel- 
come their  master  home ;  and  as  he  landed  from 
the  gondola,  formed  in  a  line  on  either  side,  and 
bowed  low  while  he  passed,  with  brother  and 
friends,  through  the  archway. 

That  night,  as  may  well  be  believed,  there 
were  sounds  of  revelry  and  rejoicing  in  the  spa- 
cious mansion  of  the  Polos.  Marco  thought  of 
his  return,  with  his  father  and  uncle,  from  Cathay : 
and  could  not  restrain  himself  from  shedding  a 
tear  when  he  saw  his  father's  vacant  seat  at  the 
groaning  board.  He  was  now  to  take  the  old 
man's  place ;  his  voyages,  travels  and  adventures 
over,  he  would  henceforth  live  quietly  at  home, 
and  devote  himself  to  the  service  of  his  family  and 
of  the  state,  reaping  the  reward  of  the  perils  he 
had  passed  and  the  fame  he  had  won. 


MARCO  POLO.  263 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

LAST  DAYS  OF  MARCO  POLO. 

|T  the  time  of  Marco  Polo's  return  to 
Venice,  he  was  about  forty-six  years  old, 
that  is,  in  the  prime  of  manhood.  He 
might  yet  look  forward  to  many  years  of  health 
and  vigor ;  and  might,  had  he  so  chosen,  have 
undertaken  new  expeditions  to  remote  lands.  But 
he  had  at  last  grown  tired  of  wandering.  In  his 
prison  life  at  Genoa,  he  had  often  thought  how 
happy  he  might  be  in  a  home  of  his  own,  with  a 
loving  wife  by  his  side,  and  children  playing 
about  his  knees ;  and  had  felt  that  with  such  a 
home  he  would  be  quite  content  to  settle  down 
for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

On  finding  himself  at  Venice  once  more,  he 
arranged  his  affairs  as  if  he  were  now  resolved  to 
settle  down  there.  He  fitted  up  his  house 
anew;  and  now  for  the  first  time  took  part  in  the 


264  MARCO   POLO. 

affairs  of  commerce  which  his  family  had  long 
pursued.  He  owned  a  large  share  in  the  trade 
which  they  carried  on ;  and  soon  was  busily 
engaged  as  a  merchant. 

Then  he  began  to  look  about  him  for  a  wife. 
As  a  nobleman  and  a  traveller  of  the  greatest  dis- 
tinction, Marco  Polo  was  a  welcome  guest  in  the 
best  houses  in  Venice.  He  was  invited  every- 
where, and,  had  he  chosen,  he  might  have  gone 
every  night  to  some  feast  or  ball.  His  friends 
were  countless,  and  belonged  to  the  highest 
social  rank ;  while  his  own  hospitable  nature 
continually  filled  his  house  with  merry  parties, 
gay  masqueraders,  and  hilarious  f casters.  His 
tall,  stalwart  person,  his  courteous  bearing,  his 
fine,  expressive  features,  and  his  wide  renown, 
made  him  a  special  favorite  with  the  noble 
dames  and  demoiselles  of  Venice,  who  loved  to 
hear  him  recount  his  adventures,  and  showed 
him,  in  many  coquettish  ways,  their  admiration 
of  his  exploits.  To  them  he  was  a  brave  hero, 
who  had  fearlessly  encountered  many  perils,  and 
had  survived  the  most  bitter  hardships  and 
hairbreadth  escapes. 

Marco   therefore  had   ample  opportunities  to 


LAST  DAYS  OF  MARCO  POLO.  265 

make  choice  of  a  life  partner;  it  seemed  certain 
that  wherever  he  paid  his  court,  he  was  sure  of 
being  kindly  received. 

Among  the  noble  families  whose  acquaintance 
he  had  made  after  his  return  from  Cathay,  was 
that  of  the  Loredanos.  The  head  of  the  family 
was  a  wealthy  nobleman,  a  member  of  the  doge's 
council,  and  a  man  of  mark  in  Venice.  Loredano 
had  two  lovely  daughters.  One,  Donata,  was  a  tall, 
stately  brunette,  about  twenty-five;  the  younger, 
Maria,  was  a  delicate  blonde,  with  rich  auburn 
hair.  Marco  Polo  was  soon  attracted  to  the 
beauty  and  graces  of  Donata.  To  be  sure,  he 
was  twenty  years  older  than  she ;  but  his  heart 
was  still  fresh  and  young,  and  had  never  before 
been  touched  by  the  passion  of  love.  It  was  all 
the  stronger  in  a  man  of  his  age  and  vigor.  He 
soon  became  very  attentive  to  the  young 
signorita.  He  visited  her  at  her  father's  house, 
or  in  her  company  sped  over  the  beautiful  bay 
in  his  luxurious  gondola.  It  was  observed  that 
he  was  always  at  her  side  at  the  balls  and  fetes, 
and  that  he  paid  her  special  honor  at  the  festivi- 
ties at  which  she  was  present  in  his  own  house. 

The  fair  Donata  seemed  pleased  with  his  at- 


266  MARCO   POLO. 

tentions,  and  gradually  learned  to  feel  for  the 
sturdy  cavalier  a  warm  affection.  The  course  of 
their  love  ran  smooth;  and  when  Marco  Polo 
asked  the  consent  of  Loredano  to  their  betrothal, 
the  noble  councillor  at  once  and  joyfully 
accorded  it. 

Then  came  sweet,  happy  days  when  the  middle- 
aged  cavalier  courted  his  young  lady  love,  and 
spent  long  dreamy  hours  in  her  beloved  company. 
Never  a  day  passed  that  he  did  not  spend  a 
portion  of  it  with  her.  It  soon  became  known 
through  Venice  that  Marco  Polo  was  to  wed 
Donata  Loredano ;  and  their  friends  vied  with 
each  other  in  giving  parties  and  masques  in 
honor  of  the  event. 

This  pleasant  courtship  was  not  of  long  dura- 
tion, for  Marco  was  eager  to  be  "married  and 
settled."  The  wedding  was  a  grand  affair.  It 
took  place  in  the  stately  church  of  San  Lorenzo, 
where  Nicolo  Polo  lay  buried,  and  which  was 
destined  also  to  receive  the  remains  of  his  more 
famous  son.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by 
an  archbishop,  assisted  by  numerous  priests.  The 
doge  with  all  his  retinue  was  there,  and  so  was 
the  flower  of  the  nobility  and  wealth  of  Venice. 


LAST   DAYS  OP  MARCO  POLO.  267 

The  bridegroom,  attended  by  his  brother  and 
other  relatives,  made  his  appearance  in  a  gor- 
geous suit  of  satin,  while  about  his  neck  hung  a 
massive  chain  of  gold,  the  insignia  of  a  knightly 
order  which  had  been  conferred  upon  him.  Upon 
his  head  he  wore  a  satin  cap,  above  which  rose 
several  flowing  feathers  of  white  and  blue ;  while 
at  his  side  hung  a  jewelled  scimetar,  which  had 
been  given  to  him  by  Kublai  Khan  as  a  token 
of  his  affection.  The  multitudes  that  crowded 
densely  the  sombre  old  church  noted  the  manly 
presence,  the  proud  carriage,  and  the  noble 
features  of  Marco  Polo,  as  he  strode  up  the 
nave  beneath  the  high,  echoing  arches,  and  de- 
clared to  themselves  that  even  at  his  age,  he 
made  a  comely  and  imposing  bridegroom. 

The  bride  appeared  splendidly  dressed,  with  a 
long  gauzy  veil  that  flowed  to  her  feet,  and  every 
part  of  her  dress  sparkling  with  jewels.  She 
looked  beautiful  and  happy,  and  all  the  world 
envied  Marco  Polo  his  possession  of  the  fair 
Donata  Loredano. 

The  wedding  festivities  lasted,  as  was  the 
custom  in  Venice,  a  w.eek.  They  began  with  a 
bounteous  banquet  at  the  Court  of  the  Millions, 


268  MARCO   POLO. 

which  was  kept  up  till  the  streaks  of  dawn  shot 
between  the  heavily  curtained  windows.  There 
were  fetes  of  gondolas  on  the  water,  sports  at  a 
country  seat  which  Marco  Polo  had  purchased  out 
of  his  abundant  wealth,  and  masquerades  at  the 
palaces  of  Loredano  and  other  friends. 

Then  followed  the  quietest  and  perhaps  the 
pleasantest  period  of  Marco  Polo's  life.  Estab- 
lished in  his  luxurious  home  at  the  Court  of  the 
Millions,  surrounded  by  hosts  of  friends  who 
were  devotedly  attached  to  him,  with  a  lovely 
wife  whom  he  adored  and  who  admired  and  loved 
him,  held  in  high  esteem  and  confidence  by  the 
doge  and  all  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  Re- 
public, abundantly  able  to  indulge  in  every 
pleasure  and  recreation  for  which  his  taste  in- 
clined him,  his  lot  indeed  seemed  a  fortunate  one. 

There  was  plenty  of  work  to  occupy  his  time  in 
the  business  house  which  had  so  long  been  car- 
ried on  by  his  family,  and  which  was  still  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  In  this  \ie  took  a  keen 
personal  interest,  and  thus  at  once  employed  his 
time  profitably,  and  added  new  stores  to  his 
abundant  wealth.  His  travels  in  the  East  had 
been  of  great  benefit  to  the  trade  of  his  house  ; 


LAST  DAYS  OF  MARCO  POLO.  269 

for  he  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  many  mer- 
chants in  Persia,  India,  Arabia,  Asia  Minor,  and 
Constantinople,  and  had  formed  business  connec- 
tions with  them  which  were  now  of  much  advan- 
tage to  his  trade. 

Not  long  after  he  had  married  and  settled,  Marco 
Polo  was  surprised  and  delighted  to  receive  a 
visit  from  two  Persian  travellers  of  high  rank, 
who  had  come  to  Venice  on  a  commercial  errand. 
They  went  to  the  Court  of  the  Millions  to  see 
Marco,  of  whose  fame  as  a  traveller  they  had 
heard,  and  to  bear  him  a  message  of  friendship  from 
the  fair  young  queen  Cocachin,  who  gratefully  re- 
membered Marco's  gallant  attentions  to  herwhile 
journeying  from  Cathay  to  Persia,  and  who  sent 
him  a  beautiful  jewel  in  token  of  her  gratitude. 
Marco  was  grieved  to  learn,  about  a  year  after- 
wards, that  this  lovely  young  queen  had  died, 
mourned  by  all  her  new  subjects  and  by  her 
gallant  husband. 

Marco  soon  found  himself  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant citizens  of  Venice.  Still  active  and  ener- 
getic, he  began  to  take  part  in  public  affairs  ;  and 
ere  very  long,  was  chosen  by  the  doge  a  member 
of  his  grand  council,  in  which  he  soon  v:r  n  1'.  ,• 


2/O  MARCO  POLO. 

reputation  of  being  a  sagacious  and  keen-sighted 
statesman.  There  was  a  time,  indeed,  when  it 
seemed  not  unlikely  that  the  great  traveller  might 
some  day  be  himself  elected  doge ;  but  the  pros- 
pect passed  away  before  his  death.  Meanwhile,  he 
not  only  served  the  state  as  councillor,  but  went  on 
embassies  to  various  countries,  and  made  treaties 
of  peace  or  alliance,  and  patched  up  quarrels. 

In  due  time,  Marco  Polo  found  himself  the 
father  of  a  thriving  young  family.  Three  little 
daughters  were  the  fruit  of  his  union  with  his 
beloved  Donata — Fantina,  Bellela,  and  Moreta. 
They  grew  up  to  be  as  pretty  and  gentle  as 
their  names.  Marco  greatly  desired  to  have  a  son, 
who  should  be  the  heir  of  his  name  and  wealth. 
But  Providence  denied  him  this  blessing.  He 
was  delighted  with  his  little  girls,  however,  and 
when  they  became  old  enough,  was  wont  to  take 
them  on  his  knee,  and  relate  to  them  the  strange 
adventures  he  had  met  with  by  land  and  sea  in 
remote  lands.  They  were  very  proud  of  their 
father,  who  had  seen  and  done  such  wonderful 
things ;  and  listened  as  eagerly  to  his  stories  as 
children  do  nowadays  to  the  Arabian  Nights  and 
Robinson  Crusoe. 


LAST  DATS  e?  MARCO  POLO.  271 

As  the  girls  grew  up,  they  proved  as  handsome 
and  engaging  as  their  mother  had  been  in  her 
own  youth ;  and  now  the  Court  of  the  Millions 
was  besieged  by  gallant  young  suitors  for  their 
hands.  There  was  not  a  youth  in  Venice  who 
would  not  have  been  proud  to  ally  himself  to  so 
distinguished  a  family  as  that  of  the  Polos  had 
become  ;  and  such  was  the  beauty  of  Fantina  and 
Bellcla,  that  had  they  been  poor,  they  would  not 
have  lacked  ardent  wooers.  Then  other  wed- 
dings were  celebrated  at  the  Court  of  the  Millions. 
Fantina  first,  and  then  Bellela,  chose  their  cava- 
liers, and  were  duly  wedded  to  them  ;  and  Marco 
Polo,  now  wrinkled  and  grizzled,  was  soon  happy 
to  find  himself  a  grandfather.  Thus  many  years 
passed  in  serene  and  contented  prosperity.  Marco, 
as  he  grew  older,  was  less  and  less  tempted  to 
attempt  new  adventures.  He  was  blessed 
with  a  delightful  home,  was  crowned  with  plen- 
teous honors,  and  felt  himself  a  conspicuous  per- 
sonage of  the  time.  He  was  often  visited  by 
travellers  from  a  distance,  both  from  Western 
Europe  and  from  the  more  remote  East ;  and 
always  received  them  with  the  bounteous  hospi- 
tality for  which  he  was  known  far  and  wide. 


2/2  MARCO  POLO. 

He  lived  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  his 
return  from  captivity  at  Genoa ;  and  rose  bright 
and  well  on  the  morn  of  his  seventieth  birthday, 
appearing  as  if  he  had  yet  many  years  to  survive. 
But  soon  after,  he  was  laid  low  by  a  fever  which 
from  the  first  betrayed  serious  symptoms  that 
alarmed  his  family.  He  grew  worse  and  worse ; 
and  the  news  spread  through  Venice  that  the 
illustrious  Marco  Polo  lay  dangerously  ill.  Im- 
mediately the  doors  of  the  Court  of  the  Millions 
were  besieged  by  crowds  of  anxious  and  inquiring 
friends.  The  doge  sent  daily  to  ask  after  the 
health  of  his  honored  councillor;  and  Marco's 
wife  and  daughters  tended  at  the  bedside  night 
and  day.  It  soon  became  but  too  apparent  that 
the  life  of  the  heroic  old  traveller  was  fast  ebbing 
away.  Still  his  mind  was  often  clear,  and  then 
he  talked  serenely  and  even  cheerfully  with  his 
beloved  ones.  He  had  always  been  good  and  up- 
right, and  death,  which  he  had  so  often  braved  in 
years  gone  by,  had  but  few  terrors  for  him  now. 
Then  came  a  sad  day  when  the  doctors  despaired 
of  restoring  him  to  health,  and  gently  broke  the 
news  to  the  grief-stricken  wife  and  daughters. 
Marco  Polo  still  lingered  a  few  days,  gro^-i--^ 


LAST   DAYS  OF  MARCO  POLO.  2/3 

feebler  and  feebler  each  hour,  but  suffering  little 
pain.  One  sunny  morning,  the  end  came.  It  was 
peaceful,  serene,  and  happy  as  his  later  life  had 
been.  The  old  man  sank  gently  into  Donata's 
arms,  and  ceased  to  breathe. 

Venice  was  wrapt  in  gloom  at  the  death  of  its 
most  famous  citizen ;  and  for  several  days  no 
other  subject  was  talked  of  in  its  marts  and  in 
the  public  squares  where  the  people  met  to  chat 
and  gossip.  The  doge  and  his  court  went  into 
mourning,  and  tributes  to  Marco  Polo's  memory 
were  paid  in  the  grand  council  of  the  Republic. 
He  was  buried  with  great  pomp  and  ceremony, 
and  laid  in  the  old  church  of  San  Lorenza  beside 
his  good  father,  and  where  his  own  marriage,  and 
the  christening  and  marriage  of  his  elder  daugh- 
ters, had  taken  place. 

His  memory  was  kept  green  by  the  Venetians  for 
generations  and  centuries  after  his  death.  Three 
hundred  years  after,  a  stately  marble  statue  of  him 
was  erected  by  the  city  in  one  of  its  squares,  and 
still  stands  to  commemorate  the  honor  in  which 
Venice  held  him  ;  while,  two  centuries  after  his 
death,  his  direct  descendant,  Trevesano,  was  elec- 
ted doge,  and  presided  over  the  Republic. 


274  MARCO  POLO. 

Thus  lived,  and  thus  died  at  the  goodly  age  o( 
three-score  and  ten,  the  greatest  of  the  early  ex- 
plorers of  the  remote  and  unknown  regions  of  the 
Orient ;  who  may  be  said  to  have  introduced 
Europe  and  Asia  to  each  other,  and  to  have  dis- 
covered the  vast  possibilities  of  a  commerce  be- 
tween the  two  continents.  He  thus  did  invalua- 
ble service  to  the  world ;  and  it  is  pleasant  to  re- 
member that,  after  all  the  perils  and  vicissitudes 
through  which  he  passed,  the  long  and  weary 
exile  from  home  that  he  suffered,  and  the  subse- 
quent misfortune  he  encountered  while  fighting 
for  the  preservation  of  Venice,  he  reaped  the  full 
reward  of  his  perseverance  and  patriotism,  and 
enjoyed  a  long  after-life  of  prosperity,  honor, 
happiness  and  domestic  bliss ;  and  that  his 
memory  still  lives,  his  name  being  written  high 
up  on  the  roll  of  the  world's  most  illustrious  dis- 
coverers and  benefactors. 


THE  END. 


U.  S.  SERVICE  SERIES 

By  FRANCIS  ROLT-WHEELER 

rthwtraHons  from  photographs  taken  in  work  for  U.  S.  Government 
Large  12mo    Cloth    $1.35  each,  net 

"There  are  no  better  books  for  boys  than  jprancis  Rolt-Wheeler's 
«U.  S.  Service  Series.'  " — Chicago  Record- Herald. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  SURVEY" 

TTHIS  story  describes  the  thrilling  advant- 
*  ures  of  members  of  the  U-  S.  Geological 
Survey,  graphically  woven  into  a  stirring 
narrative  that  both  pleases  and  instructs.  The 
author  enjoys  an  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  chiefs  of  the  various  bureaus  in  Washing- 
ton, and  is  able  to  obtain  at  first  hand  the 
material  for  his  books. 

"There  is  abundant  charm  and  rigor  in  the 
narrative  which  is  sure  to  please  the  boy  readers 
and  will  do  much  toward  stimulating  their  patriot- 
ism  by  making  them  alive  to  the  needs  of  conser- 
vation of  the  vast  resources  of  their  country."— 
Chicago  fftws. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  FORESTERS 

THE  life  of  a  typical  boy  is  followed  in  all  its  adventurous  detail — the 
mighty  representative  of  our  country's  government,  though  young  in 
years  —  a  youthful  monarch  in  a  vast  domain  of   forest.     Replete  with 
information,  alive  with  adventure,  and  inciting  patriotism  at  every  step, 
this  handsome  book  is  one  to  be  instantly  appreciated. 

"  It  U  a  fascinating  romance  of  real  life  in  our  country,  and  wfllprore  a  great 
pleasure  and  inspiration  to  the  boys  who  read  it." —  The  Continent,  Chicago, 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  CENSUS 

THROUGH  the  experiences  of  a  bright  American  boy,  the  author  shows 
how  the  necessary  information  is  gathered.  The  securing  of  this  of- 
ten involves  hardship  and  peril,  requiring  journeys  by  dog-team  in  the 
frozen  North  and  by  launch  in  the  alh'gator-filled  Everglades  of  Florida, 
while  the  enumerator  whose  work  lies  among  the  dangerous  criminal 
classes  of  the  greater  cities  must  take  his  life  in  his  own  hands. 

"  Every  young  man  should  read  this  story  from  cover  to  cover,  thereby  getting 
B  clear  conception  of  conditions  as  they  exist  to-day,  for  such  knowledge  will  have 
a  clean,  invigorating  and  healthy  Influence  on  the  young  growing  and  thinking 
mind."— Boston  Globe, 

For  s&le  by  all  bookseller*  or  seat  postpaid  oa  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  BOSTON 


THE  BOY  WITH  THE 
U.S.SURVEY 


U.  S.  SERVICE  SERIES 

By  FRANCIS   ROLT-WHEI5LER 

Many  illustrations  from  photographs  taken  in  workforU.3.  Government 
Large  12mo    Cloth    Net  $1.35  per  volume 

**  There  are  no  better  books  for  boys  than  Francis  Rolt- Wheeler's  '  U.  S. 
Service  Series.'" — Chicago  Record- Her  aid. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  FISHERIES 

WITH  a  bright,  active  American  youth  as 
a  hero,  is  told  the  story  of  the  Fisheries, 
which  in  their  actual  importance  dwarf  every 
other  human  industry.  The  book  does  not 
lack  thrilling  scenes.  The  far  Aleutian  Islands 
have  witnessed  more  desperate  sea-fighting 
than  has  occurred  elsewhere  since  the  days  of 
the  Spanish  buccaneers,  and  pirate  craft,  which 
the  U.  S.  Fisheries  must  watch,  rifle  in  hand, 
are  prowling  in  the  Behring  Sea  to-day.  The 
fish-farms  of  the  United  States  are  as  inter- 
esting as  they  are  immense  in  their  scope. 
44  One  of  the  best  books  for  boys  of  all  ages,  so 
attractively  written  and  illustrated  as  to  fascinate 
the  reader  into  staying  up  until  all  hours  to  finish 
it."— Philadelphia  Despatch. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  INDIANS 

T"HIS  book  tells  all  about  the  Indian  as  he 
*•  really  was  rnd  is;  the  Menominee  in  his 
birch-bark  canoe;  the  Iroquois  in  his  wigwam  in 
the  forest;  the  Sioux  of  the  plains  upon  his  war- 
pony;  the  Apache,  cruel  and  unyielding  as  his 
arid  desert;  the  Fueblo  Indians,  with  remains  of 
ancient  Spanish  civilization  lurking  in  the  fast- 
nesses 04  their  massed  communal  dwellings;  the 
Tlingit  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  with  his  totem-poles. 
With  a  typical  bright  American  youth  as  a  central 
figure,  a  good  idea  of  a  great  field  of  national 
activity  is  given,  and  made  thrilling  in  its  human 
side  by  the  heroism  demanded  by  the  little-known 
adventures  of  those  who  do  the  work  ot  "  Uncle 
Sam." 

"  An  exceedingly  interesting'  Indian  story,  because  It  Is  true,  and  not  merely 
R  dramatic  and  picturesque  incident  ot  Indian  fife." — JV1  Y.  Times. 

"  It  tells  the  Indian's  story  in  »  way  that  will  fascinate  the  youngster. "- 
Roche sier  Herald, 

Fo-'  isle  by  mil  booksellers  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt 
of  price  by  the  publisher* 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  BOSTON 


THEBOY'WITrWHE 
U.S.  FISHERIES 


U.  S.  SERVICE  SERIES 

By  FRANCIS  ROLT-WHEELER 

Many  Illustrations  from  photographs  taken  in  work  forU.  S.  Government 

Large  12mo    Cloth    Net,  $1.35  each 

"There  are  no  better  books  for  boys  than  Francis  Rolt-Wheeler's  'U.  S. 
Service  Series."' — Chicago  Record- Her  aid. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  EXPLORERS 

THE  hero  saves  the  farm  in  Kansas,  which  his  father  is  not  able  to 
keep  up,  through  a  visit  to  Washington  which  results  in  making  the 
plr re  a.  kind  of  temporary  experiment  station.  Wonderful  facts  of  plant 
and  animal  life  are  brought  out,  and  the  boy  wins  a  trip  around  the  world 
with  his  friend,  the  agent.  This  involves  many  adventures,  while 
exploring  the  Chinese  country  for  the  Bureau  of  Agriculture. 

"  Boys  will  be  delighted  with  this  story,  which  is  one  that  inspires  the  readers 
with  the  ideals  of  industry,  thrift  and  uprightness  of  conduct." — Argus-Leader, 
Portland,  Me. 

THE  BOY  WITH  THE  U.  S.  LIFE  SAVERS 

T~"HE  billows  surge  and  thunder  through 
*•  this  book,  heroism  and  the  gallant  facing 
of  peril  are  wrought  into  its  very  fabric,  and 
the  Coast  Guard  has  endorsed  its  accuracy. 
The  stories  of  the  rescue  of  the  engineer 
trapped  on  a  burning  ship,  and  the  pluck  of 
the  men  who  built  the  Smith's  Point  Light- 
house are  told  so  vividly  that  it  is  hard  to 
keep  from  cheering  aloud. 

"This  is  an  ideal  book  for  boys  because  it  in 
natural,  inspiring,  and  of  unfailing  interest  from 
cover  to  cover." — Marine  Journal. 

THE  BOY  WITH 

THE  U.  S.  MAIL 

HOW  much  do  you  know  of  the  working  of  the  vast   and   wonderful 
Post  Office  Department?     The  officials  of  this  department  have,  as 
in  the  case  of  all  other  Departments  covered  in  this  series,  extended  their 
courtesy  to  Dr.  Rolt-Wheeler  to  enable  him  to  tell  us  about  one  of  the 
most  interesting  forms  of  Uncle  Sam's  care  for  us. 

"  Stamp  collecting,  carrier  pigeons,  aeroplanes,  detectives,  hold-ups,  tales  of 
the  Overland  trail  and  the  Pony  Express,  Indians,  Buffalo  Bill  —  what  boy  would 
not  be  delighted  with  a  oook  in  which  all  these  fascinating  things  are  to  be  found?" 
—  Uniiiersalist  Leader. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers  or  seat  postpaid  on  receipt 
of  price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  BOSTON 


THE  BOY  WITH  THI 
U.S. LIFE  SAVER 


MUSEUM  BOOKS 

By  FRANCIS  ROLT-WHEELER 

Illustrated  from  photographs,  many  of  which  are  furnished 

by  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 
Large   12mo      Cloth      Decorated  cover      Price,  $1.35  each 

THE  MONSTER-HUNTERS 

*T*HIS  is  a  story  of  thrilling  adventure,  and  through  its 
J.      pages  writhe  or  thunder  those  vast  and  uncanny  mon- 
sters that  inhabited  this  world  long  ago. 

While  exploring  in  the  Sahara  desert  for  skeletons  of 
primitive  whales  the  boy  hero  is  the  victim  of  an  engulfing 
sandstorm,  and  adventures  crowd  in  upon  him  in  our  own 
wild  Wyoming  waste.  The  youthful  paleontologist  unlocks 
the  gate  to  a  new  world,  yet  never  ceases  to  be  a  boy. 

"  The  author  entertains  his  readers  with  thrilling  adventure,  at  the  same 
time  creating  a  desire  to  follow  up  the  subject  —  a  gift  most  story-tellers 
lack.  Some  book  !  "  —  Philadelphia.  Dispatch. 

THE  POLAR  HUNTERS 


"  Frozen  North"  always  faa- 
J.  cinates  as  a  subject,  and  in 
no  other  book  has  so  haunting  a  pic- 
ture been  drawn  of  Eskimo  life.  Strange 
fights  with  walrus  and  polar-bear  on 
the  sea,  ice  perils  from  drifting  floes 
and  crashing  bergs,  and  the  constant 
fight  against  hunger,  cold  and  dark- 
ness, give  this  book  a  glamor  as  great 
as  is  its  wealth  of  information. 

"  The  hook  is  an  ideal  one  for  boy  readers, 
filled  as  it  i«  •with  valuable  information,  and  of 

unfailing  interest  from  beginning  to    end."  —       _ 
Zit>"'s  Herald,  Barton. 

THE  AZTEC-HUNTERS 

r~T*HE  true  romance  of  a  vast  and  powerful  American  civiliza- 
J.  tion,  which  flourished  more  than  a  thousand  years  before 
Columbus  landed,  is  here  told,  absolutely  for  the  first  time. 
Forty  cities,  as  large  as  those  of  modern  times,  have  been 
snatched  from  the  jaguar-haunted  jungle  to  tell  the  story  of 
a  great  commercial  empire,  comparable  to  those  of  Egypt, 
Greece,  and  Rome. 

*  '  Not  only  will  boys  be  held  spellbound  by  this  absorbing  tale,  but  adults 
will  also  find  this  well-  written  narrative  intensely  interesting  and  full  of  the 
latest  light  uhed  by  science  upon  a  subject  of  perennial  interest."  —  Mtu- 
York  Htrald. 

Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


THE  WONDER  OF  WAR 
IN  THE  AIR 

By  FRANCIS  ROLT-WHEELER 

With   Forty-two   Illustrations  from  Unusual  War   Photo- 
graphs and  Sketches     Large    12mo     Cloth     Price,    $1.35 

Tyro  more  lucid  account  haa  ever 
been  written  of  the  various 
types  of  airplanes,  their  construc- 
tion, and  their  relative  purpose  in 
war.  One  sees  the  bombardment 
machine,  the  airplane  for  direct- 
ing artillery  fire,  the  scout,  and  the 
fighter  of  the  air,  at  work  in  their 
several  fields  The  hero  of  the 
book,  trained  in  the  French  Flying 
Corps,  is  taught  every  detail  neces- 
sary in  that  new  world  of  warfare — 

the  battle-ground  of  the  skies.  He  witnesses  some  of  the 
most  historic  raids  of  the  War,  and  takes  a  share  hi  the 
destruction  of  one  of  the  newest  aerial  monsters.  Taken  a 
prisoner  by  the  enemy,  the  young  aviator's  escape  (based  on 
an  actual  incident  from  the  front)  is  daring  in  the  extreme. 

"The  information  imparted  cornea  step  by  step  and  with  the  spice  that 
allures  to  mastery  of  the  details  given.  It  leaves  one  in  better  condition  to 
appreciate  those  parts  of  the  communiques  which  deal  with  air-fighting  than 
by  perusing  some  technical  volumes  on  the^subject." — Literary  Digest,  N.  Y. 

'•It  has  more  than  thrills,  abundant  as  these  are.  It  gives  a  comprehen- 
sible account  of  the  technical  side  of  aviation,  and  any  lad  who  reads  it  will  be 
well  informed  on  all  the  varieties  of  planes  and  the  marvels  of  uoriul 
strategy."  —  Philadelphia  Public  Ledger. 

"Probably  no  more  lucid  and  technically  correct  account  has  ever  been 
written  of  the  various  typei  of  airplanes,  their  construction  and  their  rela- 
tive purposes  in  war.  It  holds  the  interest  from  cover  to  cover."  — 
Springfield,  Mans.,  Union, 

"There  are  some  bvoks  written  ostensibly  for  boys  which  are  marvelously 
interesting  to  their  elders  as  well.  This  is  one  of  that  class." — Brooklyn 
Oitieen. 


<p: 

OP;*** 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers  or  by  the  publishers 

Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


THE  BOY  ELECTRICIAN 

Practical  Plans  for  Electrical  Toys  and  Apparatus,  with  an 
Explanation  of  the  Principles  of  Every-Day  Electricity 

By  ALFRED  P.  MORGAN 

Author  o)   ~*  Wireless  Telegraphy  Construction  for  Amateurs"  and 

"  Wireless  Telegraphy  and  Telephony"    300  illustrations 

and  working  drawings  by  the  author    Net,  $2.00 

Postpaid,  $2.25 


'T'HIS  is  the  age  of  electricity.  The  most 
A  fascinating  of  all  books  for  a  boy  must, 
therefore,  be  one  dealing  with  the  mystery  of 
this  ancient  force  and  modern  wonder.  The 
best  qualified  of  experts  to  instruct  boys  has 
in  a  book  far  superior  to  any  other  of  its  kind 
told  not  only  how  to  MAKE  all  kinds  of 
motors,  telegraphs,  telephones,  batteries, 
etc.,  but  how  these  appliances  are  used  in 
the  great  industrial  world. 


"Of  all  books  recently  published  on  practical  electricity  for  the  youth, 
ful  electricians,  it  is  doubtful  if  there  is  even  one  among1  them  that  is  more 
suitrc!  to  this  field.  This  work  is  recommended  to  every  one  interested  in 
electricity  and  the  making  of  electrical  appliances." 

Popular'  Electricity  and  Modern  Mechanics 

"This  is  an  admirably  complete  and  explicit  handbook  for  boys  who  fall 
under  the  spell  of  experimenting  and  "tinkering"  with  electrical  apparatus. 
Simple  explanations  of  the  principles  involved  make  the  operation  readily 
understandable."  Boston  Transcript. 

"  Any  boy  who  studies  this  book,  and  applies  himself  to  the  making  and 
operating  of  the  simple  apparatus  therein  depicted,  will  be  usefully  and  happily 
employed.  He  will,  furthermore,  be  developing  into  a  useful  citizen.  For  this 
reason  we  recommend  it  as  an  excellent  gift  for  all  boys  with  energy,  appli- 
cation, and  ambition."  Electrical  Record,  N.  Y.  City. 

"A  book  to  delight  the  hearts  of  ten  thousand  —  perhaps  fifty  thousand  — 
American  boys  who  are  interested  in  wireless  telegranhy  and  that  sort  of  thing. 
Any  boy  who  has  even  a  slight  interest  in  things  eiectrical,  will  kindle  with 
enthusiasm  at  sight  of  this  book,"  Chicago  News. 

.ftw  sale  by  mil  booksellers  or  *eat  postpaid  oa  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  BOSTON 


The  Book  of  Athletics 

Editea  by  PAUL  W1THINGTON 

With  many  reproductions  of  photographs,  and  with  diagrams 

Sv0     Net,  £1.50     Postpaid,  $1.70 

NEARLY  thirty  college  stars  and 
champions,  men  like  Dr.  Kraen- 
zlein,  Thorpe,  Ketcham,  "Sammy" 
White,  "Eddie"  Han,  Ralph  Craig, 
"Hurry  Up"  Yost,  Jay  Camp,  Horner, 
Jackson,  F.  D.  Huntington,  R.  Norris 
Williams,  "Eddie"  Mahan,  and  many 
more  tell  the  best  there  is  to  tell  about 
every  form  of  athletic  contest  of  con- 
sequence. In  charge  of  the  whole 
work  is  Paul  Withington,  of  Harvard, 
famous  as  football  player,  oarsman, 
wrestler  and  swimmer. 

"  Here  is  a  book  that  will  serve  a  purpose  and  satisfy  a  need. 
Every  important  phase  of  sport  in  school  and  college  is  discussed 
within  its  covers  by  men  who  have  achieved  eminent  success  in  their 
line.  Methods  cf  training,  styles  of  play,  and  directions  for  attaining 
success  are  expounded  in  a  clear,  forceful,  attractive  manner." 

Harvard  Monthly^ 

"The  book  is  made  up  under  the  direction  of  the  best  qualified 
editor  to  be  found,  Paul  Withington,  who  is  one  of  America's  greatest 
amateur  athletes,  and  who  has  the  intellectual  ability  and  high 
character  requisite  for  presenting  such  a  book  properly.  The  emphasis 
placed  upon  clean  living,  fair  play  and  moderation  in  all  things  makes 
this  book  as  desirable  educationally  as  it  it  in  every  other  way." 

Outdoor  Life 

"  That  Mr.  Withington's  book  will  be  popular  we  do  not  doubt. 
For  it  contains  a  series  of  expert  treatises  on  all  important  branches 
of  outdoor  sports.  A  very  readable,  practical,  well-illustrated  book." 

Boston  Herald. 


POf  tale  by  all  booksellers  or  seat  oa  receipt  of  postpaid 
price  by  the  publisher* 

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ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  SIOUX 

The  Adventures  of  Two  Boy  Scouts  on 
the  Minnesota  Frontier 

By   D.    LANQE 
Illustrated    12010    Cloth    Price,  Net,  $1.25 

THIS  story  was  written  by  a  prominent 
educator  to  satisfy  the  insistent  demand  o( 
active  boys  for  an  "  Indian  Story,"  as  well  as 
to  help  them  to  understand  what  even  th^  young 
endured  in  the  making  of  our  country,  the  story 
is  based  on  the  last  desperate  stand  of  the  brave 
and  warlike  Sioux  tribes  against  the  resistles? 
tide  of  white  men's  civilization,  the  thrilling 
scenes  of  which  were  enacted  on  the  Minnesof 
frontier  in  the  early  days  of  the  Civil  War. 

"  It  is  a  book  which  will  appeal  to  younpr  and  olc. 
alike,  as  the  incidents  are  historically  correct  and 
related  in  a  wide-awake  manner."  —  Pkiladelfhit 
Press. 

"  It  seems  like  a  strange,  true  story  more  than 
fiction.  It  is  well  written  and  in  good  taste,  and 
it  can  be  commended  to  all  boy  readers  and  to  many 
of  their  elders."—  Hartford  Times. 

THE  SILVER  ISLAND  OF 
THE   CHIPPEWA 

By   D.   LANQE 

Illustrated    12010    Cloth    Price,  Net,  $1.25 

HERE  is  a  boys'  book  that  tells  of  the  famous 
Silver  Island  in  Lake  Superior  from  which 
it  is  a  fact  that  ore  to  the  value  of  $3,089,000 
was  taken,  and  represents  a  youth  of  nineteen 
and  his  active  small  brother  aged  eleven  as 
locating  it  after  eight  months  of  wild  life,  dur- 
ing which  they  wintered  on  Isle  Royale.  Their 
success  and  escape  from  a  murderous  half-breed 
are  due  to  the  friendship  of  a  noble  Chippewa 
Indian,  and  much  is  told  of  Indian  nature  and 
ways  by  one  who  thoroughly  knows  the  subject. 


"  There  is  no  call  to  buy  cheap,  impossible  stuff 
for  boys'  reading  while  there  is  such  a  book  as  this 
available."  —  Philadelphia.  Inquirer. 


THE  SILVER  ISLAND 
OF  THE  CHIPPEWA 


Par  fate  by  mil  booksellers  or  seat  postpaid  on  receipt 
of  price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  BOSTON 


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